


Book One- Faceless Queen

by DasharooIsTheBest



Series: Warriors: Spark's Song [1]
Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Character Death, Kittypets (Warriors), LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, Minor Original Character(s), Multi, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Original Clans (Warriors), Other, StarClan (Warriors), warriors - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-08-30
Packaged: 2019-04-06 17:59:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 18,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14062341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DasharooIsTheBest/pseuds/DasharooIsTheBest
Summary: The tunnel was getting tighter around her. She tried to control her breathing. Cold claws gripped at her chest. What was happening? “This was a bad idea,” she mumbled. She wriggled and tried to turn around.The the earth started to crumble around her. “No,” she whispered. “StarClan please no!” She ran toward the entrance. But she was too late. Dirt collapsed on top of her, crushing her to the ground.——————————Sparkpaw was brought into RainClan as a kit along with her sister, Sunnypaw, and raised by four cats. After being apprenticed, strange dreams began to plague her. With a deadly threat from another clan hanging over RainClan, and strange omens terrorising her medicine cats, Sparkpaw doesn't know if she’ll be able to help defend her clan from all the dangers that lie in wait.





	1. Allegiances

~~~~**Allegiances**

**RainClan**

**Leader**       Yarrowstar- dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes   
**Deputy**        Snowpelt- white she-cat with green eyes

**Medicine Cat**    Cloudheart- fluffy light gray tom with amber eyes   
**Apprentice, Sundapple- orange tabby tom with green eyes**

**Warriors**       Lichenfur- white and brown tom with green eyes

Tigerstripe- light brown tabby tom with dark stripes

Apprentice, Pigeonpaw

Pinefang- dark brown tom with green eyes

Apprentice, Lakepaw

Honeyfall- handsome brown tabby tom with green eyes

Quailwing- light gray tabby she-cat with spiral markings

Mossbush- short, fluffy cream tom with black ears, muzzle, legs, and tail and a flat face

Sootcloud- gray tom with blue eyes

Brackenclaw- pale brown she-cat with sharp claws and a flat face

**Apprentices**     Lakepaw- light gray she-cat with odd spiral markings and blue eyes

Pigeonpaw- gray she-cat with a white belly and throat and amber eyes   


**Queens** Cherrybird- pretty ginger she-cat with a white belly and amber eyes; nursing Tigerstripe’s kits Birdkit (ginger tom with amber eyes), Eaglekit (brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes), Windkit (ginger she-cat with green eyes), and Squirrelkit (brown tabby tom with amber eyes) and fostering Sunnykit (striped golden she-cat with big, amber eyes) and Sparkkit (dark russet she-cat with with golden eyes and tufted ears)

Lionfoot- gray tabby she-cat with a fluffy neck and big paws; carrying Lichenfur’s kits and fostering Sunnykit (russet she-cat with big, amber eyes) and Sparkkit (dark russet she-cat with with golden eyes and tufted ears)   


**Elders**       Spiderspeckle- speckled gray she-cat with a stubby tail

Oattail- short, pale brown tom with green eyes

Milkheart- pretty cream she-cat with a flat face

**IvyClan**

**Leader** Skystar- white tom with bright blue eyes  
**Deputy** Dawnsky- pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with sky-blue eyes  
**Medicine Cat**     Juniperberry- black tom with white paws  


**Warriors** Poolcloud- light gray tom

Grassclaw- spiky furred orange tom with green eyes

Snowheart- white tom with green eyes

Lightstreak- fluffy brown and white tom

Apprentice, Bluepaw

Graystream- gray tom

Cindernose- gray she-cat with a black nose

**Apprentices**     Bluepaw- gray she-cat with blue eyes

**LilyClan**

**Leader** Poppystar- russet tom with green eyes  
**Deputy** Flintspeckle- dark gray tom with black speckles  
**Medicine Cats**     Flamecloud- ginger she-cat with white spots

Cottoncloud- fluffy white she-cat with green eyes

**Apprentice, Fernpaw- silver tom with white paws**   


**Warriors** Sandyfur- pale ginger she-cat with very bright blue eyes

Sparrowflight- light brown she-cat with white patch on her head

Honeyspeckles- small, pretty golden she-cat with white spots

Redheart- big red tom with small, green eyes   
Apprentice, Mousepaw

Grayrose- gray tom with fluffy fur

Sorrelblaze- calico she-cat with blue eyes

Silverfire- silver she-cat with amber eyes

**Apprentices**     Mousepaw- gray tom with short legs   


**CloudClan**

**Leader** Meadowstar- white tom with brown spots  
**Deputy** Hawkclaw- dark brown she-cat with long claws  
**Medicine Cat**     Honeyleaf- pretty light brown she-cat with green eyes

**Apprentice, Snowpaw- white cat with amber eyes**   


**Warriors** Oakbreeze- brown she-cat with wispy fur

Mistyheart- gray tabby tom with green eyes

Apprentice, Finchpaw

Lionclaw- pale ginger tom with fluffy fur

Swiftwind- long-legged black and white tom

Grayfeather- gray she-cat with a very fluffy tail

Apprentice, Redpaw

Roseheart- pretty russet she-cat with green eyes

Ashstone- dark gray tom with a white stomach

**Apprentices**     Redpaw- ginger tom with blue eyes   
  


Finchpaw- gray she-cat with long fur

**Queens** Mousepelt- brown she-cat with green eyes; nursing Lionclaw’s kit Blazekit (ginger tom with very fluffy tail), Barkkit (brown tabby tom with green eyes), Harekit (ginger tom with fluffy fur), and Parsleykit (brown she-cat with green eyes)

**SandClan**

**Leader** Songstar- white she-cat with light green eyes  
**Deputy** Heatherflame- lilac she-cat with amber eyes  
**Medicine Cat**     Riverdawn- beautiful tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes  


**Warriors** Spottedpebble- speckled gray tom

Streamwhisker- blue-gray tom with long whiskers

Firestripe- ginger tabby tom

Apprentice, Smallpaw

Frostspot- white tom with a black spot

Rosesky- russet she-cat with blue eyes

Scorchfeather- orange tom with fluffy paws

**Apprentices**     Smallpaw- little calico she-cat with green eyes


	2. Prologue

The leaves on the yellow-green grass crunched under a she-cat’s paws. She raced through the forest, the full moon turing her golden pelt silver. The trees turned into pine as she continued to run. Her legs ached and she had to take a break. She set down her kits and flopped down, catching her breath. “Okay,” she whispered, her voice hoarse from panting. “Okay, okay, okay.” Her golden eyes turned back to her kits, filled with pain. She turned her head and heard the hisses and growls from her pursuers behind her getting louder.

One of the kittens mewled and looked up at her mother, her eyes still squeezed shut. “Shh,” the golden queen murmured. “Hush, my little dear. Everything will be okay.” She gripped her claws into the ground, sighing out a breath. Slowly, she started to place large leaves on top of her kittens. They mewled and squirmed. “I know, dears. I'm just keeping you safe.”

“I can smell her!” a cat snapped behind her.

She quickly finished, saying one last goodbye to her kittens before racing deep into the pine forest. The kittens were quiet as the cats ran past them. Suddenly, as the pounding of paws on the ground faded away, the forest went quiet. The kittens started squirming and mewing as time went on, beginning to get hungry.

The sun was at its peak when two toms walked past them. A short, cream and black tom pressed against the other, a brown tom, smiling. One of the kits smelled them and mewled loudly, trying to shove the leaves off of her and her sister. “Did you hear that?” the cream tom asked, his ears perking.

“What's up?” the brown tabby asked, looking around.

The cream tom sniffed the ground. “I think someone passed through here last night,” he told his clanmate.

“Does it smell like clan cats?”

“No, definitely a rogue.”

The brown tom helped him look before smelling the kits. He gasped when he pulled the leaves off of the two kittens. One squealed, sniffing at the tom. “I think someone abandoned them.”

“Poor dears,” the cream cat sighed. “Here, grab one. We'll take them to Cloudheart and Sunpaw.”

“We're taking them back to camp?” the brown tom asked, picking up the darker russet she-kit.

“Of course! Let's go!” They both raced back to camp, the kits swaying in their jaws.  _ They'll be safe here, _ the cream tom promised whoever had abandoned the kittens, hoping they didn't come looking for their kits.


	3. Chapter One

“I'll kill you, CloudClan warrior!”

 

Sparkkit was snapped awake when her sister stepped on her tail. She yelped and quickly turned, licking her wounded tail. Eaglekit laughed and hopped over her denmate, chasing after Sunnykit. “Not if I get away!” the younger she-cat laughed, leaping across the den

 

“Watch where you're hopping!” Cherrybird told Sunnykit. “Don't use me as a barricade.” Sparkkit sunk into Cherrybird’s fur, not wanting to listen to anything but her foster mother’s silky voice. Eaglekit chased after her, scrambling over her mother and accidentally kicking Sparkkit in the head. Sunnykit squealed and Sparkkit guessed that Eaglekit had caught her.

 

“Enough!” Lionfoot, her other foster mother, snapped at Eaglekit. “Mossbush and Honeyfall won't like it if their kits are hurt.”

 

“Aw!” Sunnykit complained. “We were just playing! Eaglekit wasn't hurting me!”

 

Sparkkit huffed. She just wanted some peace and quiet this morning, but she had to get the loudest sister in all the clans. Lionfoot got up and stepped toward Sparkkit. “You nearly trampled over Sparkkit,” she told Eaglekit.

 

“I'm fine,” Sparkkit meowed, perking her ears. “Really, I am. She just stepped on my tail.”

 

Cherrybird got to her paws suddenly, making Sparkkit flop over. “Well, since you're all a bundle of energy, why don't we go on a walk?” she asked her kits. “We can go with Tigerstripe. It’ll be fun.”

 

Eaglekit jumped to her paws. “Yes!” she gasped, running out of the nursery. Her sister and brothers followed her. Sparkkit heard Squirrelkit yelp when Windkit accidentally ran into him. “See you guys later.” Cherrybird left the nursery, and it became uncomfortably quiet.

 

Lionfoot sighed. “I wonder if I'll be able to deal with any more kits in this nursery,” she meowed. Sparkkit knew she wasn't angry anymore though.

 

“Don't worry, Lionfoot!” Sunnykit squeaked. “Sparkkit and I will be leaving the nursery soon! You won't have to deal with us much longer!” The kit hopped over Cherrybird and sat next to her sister.

 

“That's still two moons away,” Lionfoot purred.

 

Sparkkit stood up and stumbled over to the big she-cat. “Can we go out and see Mossbush and Honeyfall?” she asked, tilting her head.

 

“Of course,” Lionfoot meowed. Sparkkit smiled and she padded out of the den with Sunnykit pressed to her side. Sparkkit always like the smells of the outside. It smelled like earthy leaves, which must have been coming from the oak forest that cut off the pines. Some days it was cold and crisp and other days it was damp, smelling like rain. The soil always felt nice under her paws, too. Most of the nursery floor was covered in moss and dry dirt, because of the stone floor. She didn't like the dirt. She liked mud. Mud felt good against her paws. It was moist and smooth. It smelled earthy, which was Sparkkit's favorite smell. She took a deep breath through her nose. She only knew leaffall, but it was already her favorite season.

 

Her second favorite thing about leaving the nursery was the sound of the waterfall. It wasn't a big waterfall, like the warriors talked about that poured down into the ravine, it was small, small enough for Sunnykit and Sparkkit to splash around in. She always enjoyed listening to it drizzle against the small rocks. Sometimes, at night, she'd strain her ears to the water bubbling near the camp.

 

“Sparkkit, Sunnykit!” Mossbush called, waving his tail to them. “How are my two favorite mollies?” He licked their heads and purred. “Sparkkit, your fur is sticking out all over the place.” Her father began to groom her, trying to make her look nice. Sparkkit squirmed underneath him. “Do you want your clan to think Lionfoot dragged you through the bramble wall backwards?”

 

Sparkkit smiled. “Yes!” she meowed, pushing her father away.

 

Mossbush laughed, but continued to groom her. “Dad!” Sunnykit piped up, shoving Sparkkit aside and making her squeak. “Is papa gonna be home soon?”

 

“Yes,” he told her. “Snowpelt sent him on a hunting patrol, so he should be home with your lunch any moment.” Sparkkit heard the uncertainty in his voice. He shuffled uneasily, trying not to show Sunnykit that he didn't actually know if Honeyfall is bringing food home.

 

Sparkkit’s stomach growled, and she suddenly missed the days when she could just get her milk from Cherrybird or Lionfoot. Now, Cherrybird’s milk was drying up, and Lionfoot told them she didn't get enough milk to feed them.

 

Her ears pricked and she gasped when she heard the bramble entrance rustling. Honeyfall padded in, shaking mud off of his paws. Sparkkit was about to race toward him when she felt sadness emitting from his pelt.  _ What’s wrong? _

 

Sunnykit didn't seem to notice. She ran forward and leapt onto her father, making him fall to the ground. Sparkkit made her way to him, hoping he was okay. Honeyfall laughed and gently pushed his daughter off of him. “I'm not a IvyClan warrior!” he purred. “Why are you attacking me?”

 

Sunnykit laughed. “I wanted to show you the new move that Lakepaw showed me,” she meowed, licking her father’s cheek.

 

Honeyfall licked Sparkkit’s head, trying to make her fur lay flat. “Well, you should practice that on Eaglekit or Windkit, not your father.”

 

“Papa?” Sparkkit mewed. “Can we have the mouse you caught.”

 

Honeyfall hesitated, but he nodded. “Sure,” he meowed, pushing the scrawny piece of prey toward his kits. “Don't play with it, though.” His voice turned stern, unlike his usual soft tone. “This is all I could scrape up for you two.”

 

Sparkkit nodded solemnly, picking the mouse up. Mossbush padded over to his mate and helped him up, licking Honeyfall’s cheek. Sparkkit and Sunnykit ran over to the nursery, so they could eat their prey in the nursery clearing. They ate in silence. Sparkkit listened to Sunnykit crunch through the mouse’s bones. When they were finished, Sparkkit licked her lips and got up, stretching.

 

“I need to use the dirtplace,” she told her sister. “I'll be back.” She clumsily padded to the dirtplace, hating the fact that she kept stumbling over rocks. She stopped suddenly when she heard Honeyfall’s voice from behind the leader’s den. Her ears strained to hear what they were saying.

 

“Leafbare might kill some of the elders,” Snowpelt, the deputy of RainClan, meowed. “They’re so weak, poor things.”

 

“Mossbush won't lose his parents,” Honeyfall snapped. “I'll hunt for days to feed them and my kits, I promise you that.”

 

Sparkkit heard Yarrowstar swallow a purr. “Of course you will,” she meowed. “But first we need to figure out where we can hunt.”

 

“I know where a rabbit den is in our territory!” Snowpelt spoke up. “We can go down there tomorrow and see if we can dig them up.”

 

There was a short lull in the conversation and Sparkkit guessed Yarrowstar was thinking Snowpelt’s offer over. Sparkkit was also thinking it over.  _ I could show them I can hunt,  _ she thought, knowing that her clan doubted her. She puffed out her chest. She imagined herself dragging home a big rabbit, big enough to feed her grandmas and grandpa. “Very well,” she meowed. “Snowpelt, tomorrow being a hunting patrol there. Wait for the rabbits to come out, then chase them. We need as many rabbits as we can get, so don't kill them all at once. We’ll see what we can get and then continue with this hunting method if it works.”

 

Sparkkit sunk behind her hiding place as Yarrowstar walked past her.

 

“You can come out now,” Honeyfall purred. Sparkkit's ears pricked. “I know you're there, Sparkkit.”

 

Slowly, she stepped out from behind the dens, her ears flat. “Sorry I was eavesdropping,” she mumbled, “I was just wondering what was happening.”

 

“It's not a problem,” her father meowed. “Come here sweetie.” Sparkkit padded toward him, nearly stepping on his tail. She nuzzled his warm pelt, hoping he’d warm her up. “What did you hear?”

 

Sparkkit blinked, tilting her head. “All I heard was Snowpelt’s rabbit plan,” she meowed. “Are grandmas and grandpa gonna die?” She whispered it to him. Uncertainty sparked from Honeyfall’s pelt.

 

“Spiderspeckle and Milkheart are strong,” he started, sounding careful about his words. “But Oattail . . .” He trailed off. Sparkkit felt his tail wrap around her. “How about tomorrow, you, Sunnykit, Mossbush, his parents, and I go out on a walk? Maybe Yarrowstar can come along too. She'd love to spend time with her grandkits.” Sparkkit gasped, excitement bursting through her. She'd never left camp before. Honeyfall laughed.

 

“That'd be really great!” she meowed. “I wish I could spend more time with Spiderspeckle, Oattail, and Milkheart. I know how much they mean to dad.”

 

Honeyfall purred and licked her cheek. “Don't worry, you still have two moons to spend time with them before you're too held up by apprentice duties.” Sparkkit’s love for her fathers seemed to double as Honeyfall pressed his head tenderly to her own. “I love you, Sparkkit. And I love Sunnykit. With all my heart.” His purr was so loud at this point, Sparkkit could feel him vibrating against her head.

 

“I love you too, papa,” Sparkkit mewed. She pulled away. “I'm tired.”

 

Honeyfall chuckled. “Go to the nursery,” he meowed. “Cherrybird and Lionfoot will be happy to see you.”

 

Sparkkit licked his nose. “Good night, papa, I love you,” she meowed.

 

“Good night sweetheart.” He licked her cheek again, nearly making her fall over. She giggled and shoved him, pouncing out of his paws and running to the nursery.

 

_ I'll bring home the rabbit and then I'll eat it with grandmas and grandpa, _ she told herself. They'll be so proud. Yarrowstar will say “Oh Sparkkit, you're such an amazing kit, I'm going to make you an apprentice right now!”

 

Sparkkit thought of Sunnykit. She'd be mad if Sparkkit went alone. The russet she-kit shook her head. She knew Sunnykit would try to take the whole thing over. Sparkkit wanted to do this alone. She padded into the nursery, hearing Cherrybird telling her kits a story about a mother saving her kittens from a horrible avalanche in the old territory. Sparkkit knew Cherrybird wasn't from the old territory, but her grandparents might be old enough to have stories from their own grandparents.  _ I’ll ask Spiderspeckle about it tomorrow,  _ she promised herself.

 

Soon, everyone's breathing slowed. Even Sunnykit, who enjoyed staying up and pestering Sparkkit, was asleep. Sparkkit slowly got to her paws, careful not to step on any tails, and snuck out of the den. She sniffed the ground for the bramble entrance. When she found it, she was almost overwhelmed with all the scents coming from outside. She stepped out of the camp, still feeling stone underneath her paw.

 

The she-kit felt around and accidentally bumped into the wall that led out of camp. She crouched down and wiggled her rump, leaping up. She gasped as her claws dug into soft dirt and her legs swung underneath. Grunting with effort, Sparkkit pulled herself up. She panted heavily, shaking out her pelt, before moving on.

 

Once she heard the rushing water in front of her, she stopped, testing the earth as she went. Eventually, her paw fell into deep, cold water. She quickly pulled it out, hissing. “The tree bridge should be to my,” she sniffed the air, smelling a hint of wet bark, “left.” She ran parallel to the river, her legs starting ache from so much exercise. Finally, she reached the fallen tree. She clambered awkwardly onto it, her claws scraping at the  bark.

 

Her claws ached when she reached the top and she thought about turning back. Then she remembered that her parents and grandparents would be so proud. Yarrowstar would be so impressed, she'd make Sparkkit a warrior  _ right away _ . Determined to make her family proud, she trotted across the trunk, slipping only once, and landed clumsily on the other side. Sparkkit opened her jaws, drinking in the scents of the meadow. She could almost  _ taste _ the rabbits they were so close. The kit followed the scent trail to a big, lone pine tree. Her russet paws felt around until she found the den.  _ This is it! _ She leaned down and squeezed into the hole. It was small and she nearly got stuck a couple of times, but she continued to crawl.

 

The tunnel was getting tighter around her. She tried to control her breathing. Cold claws gripped at her chest. What was happening? “ _ This was a bad idea _ ,” she mumbled. She wriggled and tried to turn around.

 

The the earth started to crumble around her. “No,” she whispered. “StarClan please no!” She ran toward the entrance. But she was too late. Dirt collapsed on top of her, crushing her to the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some things I want to let everyone know: Mossbush and Honeyfall are in a relationship (pretty obvious), Mossbush's parents are in a poly relationship (Milkheart, Oattail, and Spiderspeckle) and Cherrybird and Lionfoot are in a poly relationship along with Lichenfur and Tigerstripe. Hopefully it's not that confusing. A lot of cats are just in love and gay!


	4. Chapter Two

Sparkkit couldn't breathe.

 

She knew StarClan would be coming soon. She couldn't stay here forever. It was just a matter of time before a starry warrior came for her soul. She can't even wriggle her way out of the dirt. It was too heavy on top of her. Sparkkit was lucky enough not to be crushed by the earth. Maybe her family would notice how long she'd been gone and they were looking for her. She sent a silent prayer to StarClan that they were.

 

And her prayer was answered.

 

“I knew she'd be here!” a voice that sounded like Honeyfall's called. Pawsteps pounded on the earth above her. She tried to wiggle her way out again, but there was no point. Her fathers would save her.

 

Paws dug at the dirt above her and suddenly she could take in a long deep breath. The kit coughed up dirt, feeling someone grab her scruff and pull her out of the ground. When she looked up, she realized it was Yarrowstar. She felt like vomiting. “Sparkkit!” Mossbush cried, tackling her and licking the dust off of her. “Oh thank StarClan you're okay! I thought you were gone for sure.”

 

Honeyfall joined his mate, pressing his forehead against Sparkkit's own. “I'm okay,” Sparkkit rasped, her voice hoarse from the dirt that was in her throat.

 

Mossbush sighed and licked her ears clean of the grit. “Let's get you home,” he meowed. “Lionfoot and Cherrybird are worried sick.” Sparkkit leaned against him, her legs shaky. “What were you trying to do?”

 

“I-" Sparkkit cleared her throat, her stomach gurgling uncomfortable. “I was trying to catch a rabbit for the clan. ‘Cause I knew that we were running low on prey. I wanted to give grandmas and grandpa one.”

 

Mossbush licked his kit’s head fondly, sympathy sparking in his pelt. “You didn't need to do that, Sparkkit,” he meowed, nuzzling her cheek. The kit stayed silent on the walk home.

 

Mossbush insisted on Honeyfall carrying Sparkkit across the trunk, as he was too short to do it himself, but Yarrowstar told him that if she could cross it the night before, she could do it now. Sparkkit slowly crawled across, knowing Honeyfall would catch her if she slipped. Mossbush helped her down.

 

Once they reached the camp, Sparkkit heard her clanmates whispering about her. “Sparkkit!” Eaglekit called. “You’re okay! Mom was worried sick about you. I'll go tell her you're back.”

 

Sparkkit sighed. Lionfoot would not be happy about her little expedition. Cherrybird was the first to run out of the nursery.Her voice crackled with emotion as she almost tackled her kit. “Are you okay? Someone said you were almost buried alive! Did you break anything?” She sobbed, pressing her nose against Sparkkit’s forehead. “I'm so glad you're here.”

 

The kit nuzzled her mother. “I'm fine, don't worry,” she murmured, breathing her scent in. She always smelled like milk and honey. The scent always calmed Sparkkit.

 

The next cat to bowl her to the ground was Sunnykit. “I can't believe you did that!” she yowled.  “We woke up and we had no idea where you were, and then papa said he might know where you were and they raced out of camp as fast as they could-"

 

“Okay, okay,” Sparkkit grumbled. She felt like she was going to fall asleep on her paws.

 

“That was really cool what you did though!” Eaglekit called. Cherrybird hissed something and cuffed her daughter over her head. Sparkkit shuffled her paws.

 

She felt Yarrowstar’s stare burning into the back of her head. Her leader padded to the kit’s side. “I'll speak to your parents about your punishment,” she meowed. Her voice wasn't as cold as Sparkkit thought it would be. Sparkkit couldn't figure out what she was thinking.

 

Sparkkit stumbled over to Honeyfall and leaned into his fur. “I'm sorry,” she sighed. “I just wanted to show you all that I can do something. I'm not . . . useless.”

 

Sympathy sparked from Honeyfall's pelt. “No one thinks you're useless,” he told her, nuzzling her cheek.

 

Sparkkit purred. “I'm surprised Lionfoot hasn't yelled at me yet,” she laughed. “She must be pretty angry.”

 

Honeyfall put his paw on Sparkkit’s shoulder. “Why don't you go see Cloudheart,” he meowed. “Hopefully swallowing dirt hasn't hurt your throat too bad.”

 

Sparkkit nodded and made her way to the medicine den. Inside, the strong scent of herbs stung her nose. She couldn't imagine sleeping in here all night like Sundapple and Cloudheart did. Sparkkit could barely scent Sundapple across the den, sorting through herbs. “Good morning, Sparkkit,” he meowed. “Come over here, Cloudheart will be here shortly.” Sparkkit padded over to him, her tail dragging behind her. “Is anything hurting?”

 

“No,” Sparkkit sighed. “I mean, my paws sort of hurt from walking on them for so long.” She lifted her paw and licked the pad, showing it to Sundapple.

 

“Yes, but that's good,” he purred. “It shows that you got some exercise. You'll just have to wait for that to wear off. We don't have many herbs to work with.”

 

Sparkkit jumped when Cloudheart stomped into the den, grumbling about something under his breath. Sparkkit felt his glare burn into her when he noticed she was there. She knew the tom didn't like kits much, unlike his calm apprentice. “What's wrong with you?” he growled.

 

Sparkkit hesitantly explained what happened, her ears flat. The anger radiating from Cloudheart's pelt shook Sparkkit to her core. “You  _ left camp,  _ and made it impossible to get to our last food source,” he hissed, his tail lashing so hard, Sparkkit could hear it thump on the floor.

 

“Cloudheart,” Sundapple sighed, but his mentor ignored him.

 

“I didn't mean to!” Sparkkit cried, her eyes filling with tears. “I just wanted to show the clan I can do things! That I'm not useless!”

 

Cloudheart cuffed Sparkkit over the head. “Do you not realize how dangerous that was,” he yowled. “Especially for you!”

 

“What’s that supposed to mean!” Sparkkit snapped, glaring at the medicine cat.

 

“You are  _ blind _ , Sparkkit!” the medicine cat fumed. “The sooner you realize this, the better off you'll be.”

 

Rage bubbled inside Sparkkit, her whole body hot and nearly shaking, but she kept her mouth shut, glaring at the ground. “I’m going on a walk,” Cloudheart hissed. “You're fine. Tell your parents that you aren't going to get sick. Sundapple, try to get the dirt out of her ears.”

 

Sparkkit turned and stomped over to Sundapple, irritation and despair making a deep part of her stomach churn miserably. Sundapple started to lick her ears silently, rasping his tongue in the nook on the back of her ear. Sunnykit walked in.

 

“I heard what happened,” she meowed, greeted by silence. “Just because you're blind, doesn’t mean you can't be a great warrior. I've known you all my life and I know that you'll become a great cat, just like dad and momma.  _ And _ mom and papa. Mossbush said he was proud of you.”

 

“Really?” Sparkkit mewed, tilting her head.

 

“Yeah!” her sister purred. “He said that was a really brave thing you did, even though it didn't work. He told me he hopes you'll live your dream of becoming a warrior.”

 

Joy filled Sparkkit, overpowering her anger toward Cloudheart. Once Sundapple was gone, Sparkkit and Sunnykit walked back to their den, side by side. Cherrybird and Lionfoot weren't there, but Eaglekit, Windkit, Birdkit, and Squirrelkit were all piled up together. Sparkkit lay next to them, closing her eyes.

 

She woke up to the sound of whispering. She poked her head outside the den, perking her ears. Yarrowstar was speaking to Sparkkit's fathers and mothers. “Sparkkit deserves a punishment,” Cherrybird meowed. “She broke the warrior code.”

 

“She was just trying to help the clan,” Mossbush argued, his voice filled with sympathy.

 

“In trying to help the clan,” Lionfoot hissed, “she got rid of the rabbit den. We  _ needed _ that food.” There was a moment of silence. “I love Sparkkit dearly, Mossbush, and I understand that you want to protect her, but she needs to understand that actions have consequences.”

 

Sparkkit flattened her ears, covering her head with her paws. “Don't worry,” Sunnykit meowed, licking her sister’s cheek. “They won't be too harsh, I promise.”


	5. Chapter Three

Sparkkit woke up bright and early. She was determined to take her punishment like a grown warrior. She made her nest before leaving the den along with grooming her fur, hoping she and her nest looked good enough to be a warrior. Outside, Snowpelt was calling patrols, Cloudheart and Sundapple were sitting near the stream, gathering moss for their nests. Sparkkit heard Sundapple call a quick hello to her, so she waved her tail back. Cloudheart, still angry with the kit, didn't say anything.

 

“You're up early!” Snowpelt meowed as Sparkkit walked past the deputy’s meeting perch. “I'm only just sending out the dawn patrol. Mossbush and Honeyfall are still here, in the warrior's den, if you'd like to see them.”

 

Sparkkit was about to thank her when Yarrowstar cut her off. “I have to talk to her, actually,” she meowed. Sparkkit hated the fact that she couldn't see Yarrowstar’s face. The way she spoke was so monotone, and she never showed emotion. Maybe the way she smiled, or the way her eyes sparkled would show Sparkkit what she was feeling. “Sparkkit, please come into my den.”

 

The kit did as she was told, trotting to the slope that lead to Yarrowstar's den, her tail high. She tried to show Yarrowstar that she wasn't scared of her punishment, even though, deep down, she was sort of terrified. What if Yarrowstar told her to sleep outside at night, or tell her to leave the clan, or, worst of all, postpone her apprentice ceremony? No, Mossbush and Honeyfall would never let that happen to her.

 

Yarrowstar sat in her nest. “Please, take a seat,” she meowed. Sparkkit did as she was told, sitting up right with her back straight and her tail neatly wrapped around her paws. “Sparkkit, your parents and I have thought hard about your punishment and it took a while for us to agree on something, but we finally came to one conclusion. You now have to stay in camp at all times. Even if a warrior invites you out, you must stay in.”

 

“But my grandmas and grandpa and my family were gonna go on a walk together!” Sparkkit mewed.

 

Yarrowstar stared at Sparkkit, her eyes burning into the kit's pelt. There was a moment of silence before Yarrowstar meowed, “I knew about your walk with Spiderspeckle, Oattail, and Milkheart, and I'm afraid it will have to be postponed. But, luckily, your next punishment will make it so that you can spend more time with them. Starting today, you will have to take care of the elders until Eaglekit, Windkit, Squirrelkit, and Birdkit become apprentices.”

 

Sparkkit shuffled a bit. That was only one moon of taking care of the elders. Plus, that meant she'd get to talk to her grandparents every day. She dipped her head to her leader. “I'll do my best,” she meowed.

 

“I know you will,” Yarrowstar acknowledged. “You can go. Could you send Sunnykit in here, I must speak with her.”

 

Sparkkit’s ears perked. What did Yarrowstar want with her sister? “Okay,” she meowed slowly, turning away from the leader and padding out of the den. She walked down the slope and toward the nursery. “Sunnykit.” Sparkkit heard the kitten get up, stretch, and groggily pad to the entrance.

 

“What is it?” Sunnykit mumbled, yawning.

 

“Yarrowstar wanted to talk to you.”

 

“Why?” Interest sparked in Sunnykit’s pelt. “Am I going to be punished for some reason, too?”

 

“Probably not,” Sparkkit purred, shoving her sister. “I have to take care of the elders for a moon though. I'll see you in a little bit. Tell me what she says!” She ran to the elder’s den, hearing Oattail and Milkheart gossiping and Spiderspeckle snoring loudly.  _ How do Milkheart and Oattail get to sleep? _

 

“Sparkkit!” Milkheart chriped when she saw her granddaughter at the entrance. Spiderspeckle jolted awake, her snoring stopping suddenly. “Come in, come in! Are you here for a story?”

 

“Actually,” Sparkkit meowed, “I'm here to help you with your moss and ticks.”

 

“Well, you'll need some mouse bile for our ticks,” Oattail purred. “You can get that from Sundapple and Cloudheart. They should have some bedding for our nest too.”

 

Sparkkit nodded and stepped out of the den. She really didn't want to see Cloudheart. He was still really angry with her. But, she needed to be in the same den as him so she could care for her grandparents. Sparkkit ran to the medicine den, trying hard not to show how frightened she was of Cloudheart. She poked her head into the den, the smell of herbs making her cringe.

 

“Morning, Sparkkit,” Sundapple meowed from across the den. “What do you need?”

 

Sparkkit sniffed the air for Cloudheart, but there was no trace of him. “I need some mouse bile and moss,” she meowed.

 

Sundapple mumbled her short list under his breath and Sparkkit guessed he was searching for them. Finally, he padded over and set something down in front of her. “This is mouse bile,” he meowed, taking her paw and putting it on a stick. “Do  _ not _ swallow it. You'll never get the taste out of your mouth. When you find a tick, take the end of the stick and press it against the tick. It should fall right off.” Sparkkit nodded. “You know what to with the moss.”

 

Sparkkit dipped her head to the older tom. “Thank you,” she meowed, picking the stick and the moss up clumsily in her jaws. She stumbled back to the elder’s den, trying her best not to drag the moss on the dirt. She dropped the moss on the stone floor when she reached the elder’s den, feeling her way to Spiderspeckle.

 

“You're gonna start with me?” the elder purred. Sparkkit nodded, unable to say anything with the stick in her mouth. “Alrighty, I'll tell you a story while you work.”

 

Sparkkit listened intently on Spiderspeckle’s story as she brushed through her grandmother’s fur. Spiderspeckle was telling her about Mossbush’s first snow. Every now and again, Sparkkit would find a fat tick and would have to press the bile against it before it fell off. Once she was finished with Spiderspeckle, she moved on to Oattail.

 

Milkheart had the most ticks out of all of them, which meant Sparkkit had to stay longer than she thought. Once she took care of their moss, she was finally finished. “Thank you, Sparkkit,” Milkheart purred. “I feel better already.”

 

“When you can, tell Sundapple I said to dry out the moss more,” Spiderspeckle complained. “If my nest is too wet, I’ll get aching joints.”

 

“I will,” Sparkkit promised. “Have a good day.”

 

“You too, dear!” Oattail meowed, purring.

 

Sparkkit stumbled to the nursery, fatigued. Inside, Cherrybird was laying with Eaglekit, Birdkit, Squirrelkit, and Windkit. Sparkkit padded in and sat next to her denmates. “Hello,” Cherrybird purred. “How was cleaning the elder’s den?” She licked the kitten's head.

 

“It was good,” Sparkkit meowed, nuzzling her mother. “Yarrowstar wanted to talk to Sunnykit, but I don't really know why.”

 

Cherrybird hummed in acknowledgment. “Well, I'm sure it's nothing,” she meowed.

 

Sparkkit’s ears perked, hearing the heavy pawsteps of Lionfoot. Eaglekit and her siblings ran toward her, squealing in excitement. “Lionfoot, Lionfoot!” Windkit squeaked. “I nearly caught a bird today!”

 

Lionfoot sighed and plopped down into her nest. “Sorry, kittens, I'm feeling so tired today,” she mumbled, licking her stomach, which made a slight rasping sound.

 

“What’s wrong, dear?” Cherrybird asked, nuzzling Lionfoot. “Are you feeling nauseated?”

 

“A little,” Lionfoot sighed, leaning into her mate’s fur. “I think I just ate a bad mouse earlier today. I’ll be okay. Sparkkit, you've been working hard all morning, why don't we take a nap today?”

 

“Sure,” Sparkkit purred, padding to her mother and laying in the space between her chest and her paws, warmed by her fluffy fur. She closed her eyes, calmed by Lionfoot licking her head rhythmically. Soon enough, she was asleep, drifting into dreams.

 

\--------

 

It felt like only moments later that Sparkkit was woken by Cherrybird grabbing her scruff and carrying her out of the den. “What is it?” she muttered, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

 

“Lionfoot’s gone into labor,” Cherrybird explained, setting her kit down. “We need to stay out of the nursery until she's finished.” Sparkkit nodded, yawning.

 

“Sparkkit!” Sunnykit chirped, flopping down next to her.

 

“Hey,” Sparkkit meowed. “What did Yarrowstar want with you?”

 

Sunnykit shuffled her paws. “Oh, nothing,” she meowed. “Just some stuff about becoming an apprentice soon. So, Lionfoot is kitting?”

 

Sparkkit stared in her sister's direction. She could tell Sunnykit was lying, but she couldn't understand why. The two sisters told each other everything. Didn't they? “Yeah,” Sparkkit meowed.

 

“I wish I could see!” Sunnykit mewed. “We didn't get to see Birdkit, Eaglekit, Windkit, and Squirrelkit being born. I think it'd be kind of cool.”

 

Sparkkit shuddered at the thought of watching a cat give birth, even though she couldn't  _ see  _ the blood. “Why would you want to see that?” she asked, scrunching up her nose.

 

“Aw, it's just a bit of blood,” Sunnykit laughed. “There'd be a lot more blood in a battle. Maybe treating wounds would be better than causing them.”

 

Sparkkit shrugged. “I guess that's true,” she meowed.

 

Eventually, the noise died down and Sundapple stepped out of the den. “Is everyone okay?” Cherrybird asked.

 

“Yes,” the medicine cat purred. “Lionfoot is fine and she had two kits, a tom and a she-cat.”

 

“Can we see them!” Eaglekit gasped, shoving past Sparkkit. “Please, Cherrybird!”

 

Cherrybird laughed. “Okay, okay,” she meowed. “Come on, dears. Sparkkit, Sunnykit, I'm sorry, why don't you two tell your fathers while we look at the kittens.”

 

“Sure!” Sunnykit meowed, running over to the warrior's den, Sparkkit on her tail.

 

Inside, they heard Mossbush and Honeyfall whispering in their nest. Honeyfall was rasping his tongue over Mossbush’s ear, purring so loud, Sparkkit thought CloudClan could hear him.

 

“Papa, dad!” Sparkkit meowed, running over to them and hopping onto Mossbush’s back. “Guess what!”

 

“What is it?” Honeyfall meowed, putting his paw on Sparkkit’s own.

 

“Lionfoot’s has her kits!” Sunnykit meowed, bursting with excitement.

 

Sparkkit shoved her sister. “She went into labor a little bit ago, and now she has a tom and a she-kit!”

 

“Oh,” Mossbush meowed, surprised. “I didn't realize how close she was to kitting.”

 

“Are you two gonna come see them with us?” Sparkkit asked, grabbing Mossbush's ear and tugging at it.

 

“In a bit,” Honeyfall chuckled, picking Sparkkit up and setting her down in front of them. “Go on. We'll sleep with you two in the nursery tonight, I promise.”

 

Sparkkit nuzzled him before scrabbling out of the den and into the nursery. Inside, Sparkkit could smell blood and two new cats. They didn't smell like the dirt of the nursery yet, but they smelled like milk. She padded toward Lionfoot and Lichenfur, her nose twitching.

 

Lionfoot purred. “Hey,” she meowed to Sparkkit.

 

“I wish I could see them,” she murmured.

 

“Here,” Lionfoot meowed, gently taking her paw and putting it on her first kit. “This is my little she-kit. She’s brown and white like her father.” Sparkkit knew that earth was brown, and, even though she couldn't see her, she immediately knew the kitten was beautiful. Lionfoot then moved her paw to the second kit. “This one is a tom-kit. He looks like me.” Sparkkit liked Lionfoot’s fur because she knew the sky was gray during storms, and she always seemed to smell like rain. Maybe the kit would too. The kit was fluffy, especially around his neck.

 

“Have you named them yet?” Sparkkit asked.

 

“Not yet,” Lionfoot purred. “It's too soon. We've decided we’ll name them after they open their eyes.”

 

Lichenfur purred and licked her cheek. “I love you, Lionfoot,” he meowed.

 

“I love you too, dear,” Lionfoot purred. “And Cherrybird. I love you both so much. Cherry, you've helped me with all of this, and now I know you'll be here for these kits and me, always.”

 

Cherrybird purred loudly. Sparkkit hoped that one day she could find someone she loved as much as Cherrybird and Lionfoot loved each other, and Lichenfur and Lionfoot, and even Cherrybird and Tigerstripe.  _ One day _ , she promised herself. She leaned over and sniffed at the she-kit, trying to get used to her scent, but the kit only turned and squealed loudly. Sparkkit jumped back and laughed.

 

Soon, Honeyfall and Mossbush padded into the den. It was sort of cramped that night, but Sparkkit was happy and warm.


	6. Chapter Four

Sparkkit woke up to the noise if Eaglekit, Birdkit, Windkit, and Squirrelkit racing around the nursery. “Calm down!” Cherrybird meowed, sounding exhausted. “I need to groom you all. You look like you were run over by a monster.”

 

Eventually, with Lionfoot helping, she was able to groom them all without them fidgeting. “For StarClan's sake, Windkit, you're becoming an apprentice today,” Lionfoot sighed. “Don't you want to look a small bit sophisticated?” Sparkkit giggled. “You two are next, you know.”

 

“I'm not gonna be as terrible as them, though!” Sunnykit piped up, purring. “Don't worry, mama, I’ll be good when I become an apprentice.”

 

Lionfoot purred. “Thank you,” she meowed.

 

“I will too, mom!” Lionfoot's tom-kit, Juniperkit, squeaked, climbing over his mother's tail. “I'm gonna be super well behaved, I promise!”

 

The queen laughed. “Well, I'm so lucky to have all you lovely kits.” She continued to groom Windkit.

 

Sparkkit sat in the corner of the den. It had been a loud morning. First, Eaglekit woke her up before the sun was up, then Cherrybird got angry with them for being so loud, and finally, they accidentally woke Juniperkit and Vinekit, who Lionfoot has been trying to get to sleep all night. They didn't try to sleep for the rest of the morning.

 

Now, Yarrowstar was awake. She called the clan together, before the queens were able to get their kits ready. Cherrybird huffed and sat up. “Tigerstripe could have at least come in and asked if we needed help,” she grumbled.

 

“He left on the dawn patrol, didn't he?” Lionfoot meowed, grooming Birdkit’s fluffy fur. “I'm sure he's just nervous to see his babies leave the nursery. Aren't you?”

 

Squirrelkit groaned and whispered something to Eaglekit, who giggled. Sparkkit tried to strain her ears to hear them, but she didn't catch anything. “Of course I am,” Cherrybird meowed, sorrow sparking from her pelt. “But I just wish he had helped more while they were in the nursery.” She sighed.

 

“Eaglekit, Squirrelkit, Birdkit, and Windkit, step forward!” Yarrowstar called from outside.

 

The kits squealed and ran out of the nursery. Sparkkit ran after them, followed by Sunnykit, Juniperkit, and Vinekit. She sat near the front with her sister by her side, wriggling in excitement for her denmates.

 

Yarrowstar started the ceremony: “Birdkit, from this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Birdpaw ” she called. As always, her voice was monotone, not revealing any emotion. Sparkkit felt exhilaration burst from Birdpaw. “Your mentor will be Sootcloud. I hope he passed down all he knows onto you.”

 

Sparkkit heard Birdpaw’s paws scuffle against the earth as he raced toward his mentor. “I wish I could see what they're doing,” she whispered to Sunnykit. “Then I might know what to do during my ceremony.”

 

Sunnykit pressed against Sparkkit’s side. “Don't worry,” she meowed. Sparkkit huffed quietly when she felt Sunnykit’s sympathy. “Birdpaw’s just sitting next to Sootcloud.”

 

Sparkkit nodded, her ear twitching when Yarrowstar called the next kit up. “Squirrelkit, from this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Squirrelpaw,” the leader meowed. “Your mentor will be Brackenclaw.” A quiet gasp of surprise came from Sparkkit’s aunt. She wondered why Brackenclaw was surprised. “I hope she passes down all she knows onto you.”

 

Squirrelpaw did the same as his brother, sitting next to his mentor and letting the ceremony continue. Sparkkit could tell Brackenclaw was nervous. Was it because of the cat she was mentoring, or the fact that she never mentor an apprentice before this? She shrugged and directed her attention back to the ceremony.

 

“Windkit,” Yarrowstar continued, “from this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Windpaw.” She fell silent, and Sparkkit guessed she was scanning the clearing.

 

“Didn't she already figure out who her mentor would be?” Sunnykit whispered into Sparkkit’s ear.

 

Sparkkit looked in the direction of Yarrowstar, and felt the leader’s gaze burn into her. “Your mentor will be Snowpelt.”

 

Windpaw gasped.  _ Lucky! _ Sparkkit thought.  _ I'd give anything to have the deputy as my mentor. _

 

“And last but not least, Eaglekit,” Yarrowstar meowed. “Eaglekit, from this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Eaglepaw. I will mentor you.”

 

The clan broke out in murmurs. Sparkkit’s jumped to her paws. Yarrowstar waited for them to settle down. “I promise I will pass down all I know onto you.”

 

Eaglepaw didn't move. She was shocked. Yarrowstar jumped down from the meeting rock and padded toward her new apprentice. “They're touching noses,” Sunnykit told Sparkkit.

 

“Birdpaw! Squirrelpaw! Windpaw! Eaglepaw!”

 

The clan called their names so loud that Sparkkit thought SandClan could hear them. Sparkkit ran over to the new apprentices. Eaglepaw still seemed shocked. “You're so lucky!” Sunnykit meowed, bowling into her sister. “Having a leader as a mentor will be awesome!”

 

“And difficult,” Eaglepaw pointed out. “Now I have to work twice as hard to be a great apprentice.”

 

Sparkkit pressed against her denmate. “Don't worry,” she meowed. “I'm sure Yarrowstar will go easy on you at first.”

 

Eaglepaw shrugged. “I guess,” she sighed.

 

“Apprentices!” Snowpelt called from the entrance of the camp. “Come on, we'll show you around the territory.”

 

“I’ll see you later,” Eaglepaw meowed, padding away from them and to her new mentor.

 

Sparkkit pressed against her sister, expecting her to lead her back to the nursery. But Sunnykit was warm, and she only stood there. “What’s wrong?” Sparkkit asked.

 

“Oh,” Sunnykit squeaked. “Sorry, it's nothing. Just. Eaglepaw is really pretty.”

 

Sparkkit screwed up her face before understanding. “Ooh!” Sparkkit purred, her whiskers twitching. “You have a crush on Eaglepaw, don't you?”

 

Sunnykit turned away. “No,” she huffed. “She's just a pretty molly.”

 

Sparkkit giggled under her breath. “Papa will be happy to hear that you have a crush on her,” she meowed, licking her sister’s cheek.

 

“Shut up,” the kit hissed, shoving her sister playfully. “You better not tell him.”

 

“I won't, I promise,” Sparkkit mewed. “Race you to the nursery!” She dashed in the direction of her den, hearing Sunnykit squeak and race after her. Sparkkit won, skidding to a halt in the den.

 

Sunnykit laughed when she caught up to her sister. Inside, Cherrybird and Lionfoot were talking quietly. “Hey, kittens,” Cherrybird purred, getting to her paws. “Looks like I'm not going to be sleeping with you any more.”

 

“Don't worry,” Lionfoot meowed. “You can sleep in here any time you want. Then, once my kits are apprenticed, we can sleep in the warrior's den together.”

 

Sparkkit leapt onto Lionfoot’s back, surprised that she didn't have to scrabble her back legs to stay on. She'd grown a lot in the past couple moons. “I can't wait to become an apprentice!” she purred.

 

There was a brief silence. “Honey,” Cherrybird meowed slowly. “You do know that you may not be able to become an apprentice, right?”

 

Sparkkit glared in Cherrybird’s direction. Of course she knew that being blind would be a handicap for her, but she didn't want that to be the reason she didn't become a warrior. “I can hunt just as well as any other cat!” she snapped at Cherrybird, her fur bristling.

 

“That's not the problem-” the queen started, only to be cut off by Lionfoot.

 

“Sparkkit, if you want to be a warrior, you can,” she meowed, sitting up and making Sparkkit slide off her back. “But you have to work hard. Maybe harder than any other apprentice. But I know you’ll do your best. Cherrybird, I want to take a walk with you. Come on.”

 

Anger sparked from Cherrybird’s pelt but she walked out of the den with her mate. Sparkkit huffed, her ears flat. Sunnykit shuffled. “Don't worry, Spark,” her sister meowed. “You'll be a great warrior.”

 

\--------

 

Sparkkit spent most of the day sunning herself outside the nursery, waiting for the new apprentices to come back to camp. Sunnykit was inside, playing with Vinekit and Juniperkit. Sparkkit’s ears perked when she heard Eaglepaw’s voice outside the camp. She jumped to her paws and ran to the entrance. Birdpaw padded past her, limping. Eaglepaw followed him, bursting with joy.

 

“Hey!” Sparkkit meowed, circling her former denmate and breathing in all the scents from the forest. The smells brought her back to her night in the forest. She shuddered at the thought of being trapped under the earth. “Where did Birdpaw go?”

 

“Oh,” Eaglepaw meowed, “he stepped on a thorn so Sootfeather sent him to the medicine den.”

 

“Is he okay?” Sparkkit asked.

 

“He's fine,” the apprentice meowed. “Where's Sunnykit?”

 

Sparkkit shrugged. “I think she's still playing with Vinekit and Juniperkit,” she answered. “You can go check.” Eaglepaw padded past her. Sparkkit could tell how tall Eaglepaw was compared to her, feeling the older cat looming over her.

 

“Sparkkit.”

 

The apprentice turned in the direction of Yarrowstar's voice. “Yes?” she meowed, padding close to her leader.

 

“I just wanted to tell you that you're relieved of your duty to clean the elder’s den,” she meowed. “And, if you're with your parents, you may leave the camp.”

 

“Thank you,” Sparkkit meowed, dipping her head to her leader. “I was wondering if you'd like to come on a walk with my fathers, grandmas, grandpa, Sunnykit, and I?”

 

Surprise sparked from Yarrowstar's pelt. “Sure!” she purred. That was the first emotion Sparkkit actually felt from Yarrowstar. “Why don't we go ask your fathers.”

 

The two she-cats padded to the warrior's den where Mossbush and Honeyfall were eating together. “Good afternoon, mom,” Honeyfall purred, getting to his paws. “Do you need something?”

 

“We were wondering if you'd like to go on a walk with grandmas, grandpa, and us?” Sparkkit meowed, pouncing onto her father’s tail.

 

Mossbush purred and licked Sparkkit's head. “Sure, sweetie,” he meowed, nuzzling her. “Why don't you two go ask my parents.”

 

Sparkkit nodded and rushed out of the den, followed by Yarrowstar. “I'll get your grandparents,” she told her. “You go get Sunnykit.”

 

The kit did as she was told, padding over to the nursery, where she could still smell Eaglepaw from earlier that day. She poked her head in. “Sunnykit?” she meowed, hearing her sister get to her paws.

 

“What’s up?” The kit padded over to her sister and pressed her pelt against Sparkkit's own.

 

“We're all going on a walk,” Sparkkit explained. “Do you wanna come?”

 

“Yeah, sure,” Sunnykit meowed.

 

Sparkkit tilted her head. Her sister sounded depressed, like something was bothering her. “Is anything wrong?” she asked, placing a paw on Sunnykit’s shoulder.

 

“No, no, I'm fine,” she meowed. “I'm just thinking about the future.” She got to her paws and padded out of the den. Sparkkit stumbled after her, tripping over her own paws, and following her to the entrance of the camp.

 

Her grandparents were already near the entrance, gossiping about Eaglepaw, Windpaw, Birdpaw, and Squirrelpaw. “Good morning, Sparkkit and Sunnykit!” Oattail meowed to his grandkits. “Thank you for inviting us out for a walk today. It's probably gonna be the last warm day of the seasons.”

 

Sparkkit sat next to her grandfather, purring. “I just want to spend time with you guys before I become an apprentice,” she meowed and nuzzled her grandfather.

 

Milkheart got to her paws and stretched. “Well, let's get going,” she chirped. They padded out of the camp, Sparkkit staying close to Mossbush. Sparkkit breathed in all the scents of the forest. It was warmer than the night she left camp on her own. She pressed closer to Mossbush at the thought of that night.

 

They padded around the camp, Spiderspeckle and Milkheart whispering to one another. “It's very nice out,” Spiderspeckle sighed, purring. Sparkkit wished she could feel warmer. The sun wasn't breaking through the needles as much as it did in the camp.

 

Oattail shuddered beside her. “It’s too cold for my old bones,” he grumbled. Mossbush pressed against his father.

 

“When do you think it will snow?” Sparkkit asked Honeyfall. She loved snow, even though she never saw it. From what she heard, it was fluffy and cold. She wanted to feel some so bad.

 

Yarrowstar answered for her son. “It should snow soon,” she meowed. “I can smell frost in the air.”

 

Sparkkit raised her head and tried to smell the frost, but she could only smell the scents of the pine forest.

 

“I hope it doesn't snow,” Spiderspeckle sighed. “It's cold enough as it is. Plus, the snow will kill my joints.”

 

Sunnykit leapt up next to Sparkkit, bursting with excitement. “I hope it does!” she meowed. “I've never seen snow before!” Sparkkit nodded in agreement.

 

Milkheart purred. “It's not as great as you'd think,” she meowed. “It's cold and it can go on for days. Once, when Oattail and I were kits, it snowed for a moon, only stopping once, during the gathering. I guess StarClan didn't want it to stop us from seeing the other clans.”

 

Oattail laughed. “I've always been fond of the memories I had from that moon,” he meowed. Sparkkit heard his fur brush against his mate’s. “I remember you slipping on a piece of ice and sliding right into a snow drift. You were lucky enough not to catch greencough but your mother gave you quite a tongue lashing after it was over.”

 

The old queen sighed, her tail lashing onto the ground. “Mother never let me near ice after that,” she huffed, sounding just as fond of that moon as Oattail.

 

Sparkkit hoped that she had those kinds of memories with her future mate. Her paws tingled with excitement for the future. She imagined herself protecting her clan, bringing down CloudClan and IvyClan warriors. Soon, the eight cats found themselves back at the entrance of camp.

 

“Well,” Milkheart meowed, yawning, “I'm going to take a nap while I'm still tired. Spiderspeckle, Oattail, are you going to join me?”

 

The two elders purred and followed Milkheart into the camp. “Thank you for coming with us!” Sparkkit called, racing after them so she could hug them all.

 

Her grandparents chuckled and hugged her back, Oattail licking her ear. “Thank you for having us,” he purred. Sparkkit let go of them and heard them pad into the elder’s den, the lichen covered entrance shuffling as they walked through it.

 

Her ears perked when Yarrowstar spoke up. “Honeyfall, Mossbush, I'd like to speak with you, Cherrybird, and Lionfoot in my den,” she meowed. “Could you grab the others?”

 

_ What is she wanting to talk about?  _ Sparkkit wondered.  _ Maybe she’ll talk about our apprentice ceremony! _ Sparkkit trembled in excitement. Her ceremony was only a half a moon away.

 

The air was starting to get cooler. The sun was starting to go down. Sparkkit wanted to speak with Vinekit and Juniperkit before she went to sleep. She padded into the nursery and squeezed through the entrance. Inside, the kits were tumbling around the den, scuffling in the dirt. “Sparkkit!” Juniperkit piped up, shoving his sister off of him. “Sparkkit, Sparkkit! Can you tell us the story about when you left camp alone?”

 

Sparkkit laughed and flopped into her nest, grooming herself. “Why would you want to hear that story?” she purred. “I've already told it to you like five times!”

 

Vinekit whined. “Aw, please, Sparkkit?” she begged, jumping on top of her denmate’s back.

 

“Fine,” Sparkkit sighed, fake exasperation in her tone. “Alright where to start.” She thought for a moment. “Ah, okay, here we go.” She began her story, enjoying the little sparks of interest and excitement coming from the kits. Vinekit gasped like she always did when Sparkkit explained how the earth felt when she was buried. Juniperkit shuffled in his nest, not able to stay still for very long. Finally, Sparkkit's story came to an end, stopping with Mossbush and Honeyfall finding her and digging her up.

 

“Wow,” Vinekit breathed. “I hope my parents would come that fast to help me if I was buried alive.”

 

“Of course they will!” Sparkkit meowed, surprised. “Lionfoot and Lichenfur love you more than anything.”

 

“They don't act like it,” muttered the she-kit. “Lionfoot only slept in the nursery with us for half a moon, and only visits us when it's time to eat, plus Lichenfur never visits.”

 

Sparkkit sighed. Lionfoot never really knew how to show her love to the kits, but since she slept with Sparkkit and the others at night, they all knew she loved them. Now, she slept in the warrior’s den and Mossbush slept with Sunnykit and Sparkkit. “Don't worry,” she meowed, wrapping her tail around the kitten. “They love you more than anything in the world.”

 

Vinekit licked her shoulder. “Thanks,” she meowed. “I should be going to sleep.” Sparkkit nodded and felt her pull away, padding to her nest. “Good night, Sparkkit.”

 

Sparkkit laid in her nest, snuggling into the moss. She closed her eyes and soon slipped into a deep sleep. When she opened her eyes again, cold fluff was piling around her paws. “Is this snow?” she wondered out loud, lifting her paw and sniffing at it. “I think it is.” She pounced into it, purring loudly. It was soft and fluffy and she never wanted to stop bounding in it, even if it was freezing.


	7. Chapter Five

Sparkkit was shaken awake by Mossbush the morning of her apprentice ceremony.  She was still tired as Mossbush and Honeyfall flocked around her, listening to Cherrybird and Lionfoot grooming her sister, but soon the excitement kicked in. She was finally going to become an apprentice! She was expecting Sunnykit to be bouncing around the den, bursting with excitement, but she was quiet, letting Cherrybird groom her head.

 

Sparkkit leapt to her paws when Yarrowstar called the clan together. She felt like her heart would pop in her chest, it was beating so fast. “Today we have two kits becoming apprentices,” Yarrowstar announced. “Sparkkit and Sunnykit, step forward.”

 

Sparkkit bounced out of the den, charging over to the clearing in front of Yarrowstar's ledge. Cats giggled around her and Sparkkit heard Lakecloud whisper quietly to Pigeonbelly, who had recently gotten their warrior names. Sunnykit slowly stepped up next to Sparkkit and sat next to her. Usually, she'd brush her pelt against Sparkkit's, but this time she stayed still and silent.

 

Yarrowstar was about to speak when Cloudheart spoke up. “So, is Sparkkit going to become Sundapple’s apprentice or not?” he asked, his voice cold.

 

Sparkkit felt a pang of disappointment. Would she become a medicine cat instead of a warrior like she dreamed? She looked in Yarrowstar's direction, her heart racing.

 

Yarrowstar stayed quiet for a moment. “That's up to Sparkkit,” she meowed. Her eyes burned into Sparkkit's pelt. “What do you want, Sparkkit?”

 

The kit shuffled and felt everyone's eyes turn to her. “I-" she started, before getting cut off.

 

“She can't become a warrior!” Cloudheart hissed, his tail lashing. “She’ll get killed out there! Imagine if CloudClan attacks! What will she do then, hm? She can't see the cat who's attacking her!”

 

“Quiet!” Lionfoot snapped from the nursery. “Sparkkit can be a warrior if she wants. She's a fierce cat with talents you could never dream of!”

 

“But,” Cherrybird meowed gently. “Cloudheart does have a point. She won't be able to fight like any other warrior will.”

 

Sparkkit’s heart sank. Cherrybird, the cat who raised her and fed her milk from the moment she joined the clans, didn't think she could be a warrior? Tears stung her eyes.

 

Yarrowstar sighed. “Sparkkit, I'm sorry to say-"

 

“Wait!” Sunnykit spoke up. “Wait, but,  _ I-I  _ want to be a medicine cat.”

 

Sparkkit blinked in surprise. “What?” she meowed. She always dreamed of hunting with her sister, battling CloudClan warriors by her side. Was that dream dead?

 

“I want to be a medicine cat,” Sunnykit repeated. “I want to be Sundapple's apprentice.”

 

The clan went silent for a moment and Sparkkit guessed Yarrowstar was thinking. “Sundapple, what do you think?” she asked.

 

“I can only train one apprentice,” the medicine cat answered. “It's either Sunnykit or Sparkkit.”

 

Another long silence. “Very well, Sunnykit,” the leader meowed. “Now let's get on with this ceremony.” The clan settled around Sparkkit and Sunnykit, but she could still feel the tense atmosphere.  _ This is not what I imagined what would happen today _ , she thought. “Sunnykit, from this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Sunnypaw. Your mentor will be Sundapple! I hope he passes down all he knows onto you.”

 

Sundapple padded over to his new apprentice and sat next to her. Sparkkit turned back to Yarrowstar, her heart racing. She didn't really think about mentors. Who would her mentor be?

 

“Sparkkit, from this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Sparkpaw!” Yarrowstar meowed, her voice warm, unlike her usual monotone  meow. “Your mentor will be-”

 

“Wait,” Cherrybird meowed, getting to her paws. “I'm sorry to drag out this ceremony even more, but if Sparkpaw is going to be a warrior, I want to be her mentor.”

 

Mossbush stood next to her. “I do too,” he meowed. “I want to help train my daughter. And even though I'm her father, I will be just as tough as any mentor there is.”

 

Sparkpaw sensed surprise jolt from Yarrowstar. “It's not very traditional for an apprentice to have two mentor, especially if they're family,” she began, trailing off. She thought for a moment before calming herself. “Okay. Sparkpaw, your mentors will be Mossbush  _ and  _ Cherrybird. I hope they pass down all they know onto you.”

 

Mossbush and Cherrybird stepped up next to their daughter, Mossbush’s fluffy pelt brushing against Sparkpaw’s, his tail wrapping around her. The clan started chanting their names loudly to the sky. Sparkpaw laughed when both Cherrybird and Mossbush pressed their noses to her cheek and she pressed her nose against both of theirs. Sparkpaw felt anger radiating off someone, but she couldn't figure out who as everyone gathered around her and Sunnypaw.

 

“Congrats!” Eaglepaw meowed to Sunnypaw. The anger dissolved. Was Sunnypaw angry about something? If so, what was it?

 

She was about to get to her paws and ask her, but she was suddenly crowded by cats, including Vinekit and Juniperkit. “Wow!” Juniperkit meowed, sitting in front of Sparkpaw. He was only a moon and a half old but he was getting big. So was his sister. They were nearly half Sparkpaw’s size. “I can't believe you're finally an apprentice!”

 

Sparkpaw couldn't believe it either. Her heart ached at the thought of no longer sleeping in the same den as the kits and Mossbush. Then she remembered Sunnypaw wouldn't be sharing a den with her either and it hit her like a monster. Maybe she could ask Honeyfall to sleep with her that night.

 

“Sparkpaw,” Cherrybird meowed, her voice firm. She wasn't going to act like Sparkpaw’s sweet caretaker anymore, now that she was her mentor. “Why don't Mossbush and I show you around the territory?”

 

Sparkpaw’s excitement came rushing back to her. She would finally be able to get out of camp and see her whole home. “Yes please!” Sparkpaw purred, getting to her paws.

 

Mossbush purred and said one last goodbye to Honeyfall before padding to the entrance with Sparkpaw by his side. She wanted to say goodbye to Sunnypaw, but when she cast out her senses, she couldn't find her in the clearing. She probably already joined Sundapple in his den.

 

Sparkpaw stood next to Mossbush. “Are you ready?” he asked, purring. Sparkpaw perked her ears, listening for movement outside the camp. She nodded. “Let's go then.”

 

Sparkpaw leapt out of the camp, her paws tingling with excitement. She waited for Mossbush and Cherrybird to join her, her ears swiveling so she could catch every noise in the forest. There were no birds chirping, all  of them home now that leaffall was over. The river was bubbling by near the camp, only a few treelengths away. The earth was dry, covered in twigs that fell off the pine trees, that crackled whenever a cat stepped on them. The air smelled like rain, like it usually did, and salt. Was the salt smell always there? She lifted her head towards it, feeling a breeze tugging her fur.

 

“You're smelling SandClan territory,” Cherrybird meowed, standing beside her. “They always smell like salt from the ocean. They must find it soothing, but I can't stand it.”

 

Sparkpaw purred. “I think it smells nice,” she meowed, taking another long, deep breath. “Living in SandClan must be weird. I can't imagine having to swim to find food. Especially in such dangerous waters.”

 

Mossbush licked her head. “Don't worry,” he meowed. “You won't be hunting in the ocean any time soon.”

 

Sparkpaw got to her paws. “So where are we gonna go first?” she asked, her paws tingling. “Am I gonna be able to go to the Thunderpath? I hear it's really scary!”

 

Cherrybird laughed. “We might not be able to make it there today,” she meowed. “But we should get to the CloudClan border. Maybe you'll be able to hear the monsters pass by when we're there.”

 

Disappointed mingled with the excitement that was still rushing through Sparkpaw, but she didn't complain. She wanted today to be perfect. “Let's head to the ravine,” Mossbush meowed. “That way, you'll know where it is so you can stay away from it.”

 

Sparkpaw tilted her head. “I know where it is,” she told him. “I can hear the sound of the big waterfall. It's pretty faint, but I can tell where it's coming from.”

 

Cherrybird looked at her for a moment. Sparkpaw couldn't read what she was feeling, it was something different from usual. “Well then,” she meowed, “why don't you lead the way to the waterfall, and we’ll follow you.”

 

Sparkpaw nodded and tasted the air, searching for the damp smell of mud. When she located the scent, she padded forward, followed by Cherrybird and Mossbush. Soon, they reached the ravine, the roar of water pounding against rocks almost deafening. Mossbush was surprised. His daughter puffed out her chest proudly, swallowing a purr. Cherrybird laughed and licked her forehead. “Good job, dear,” she meowed. “We're close to CloudClan. Can you tell where they are?”

 

Sparkpaw parted her jaws, letting the scents of the pine forest bathe her scent glands. To the east, the smell of pines continued, ending in the sweet scent of flowers.  _ That must be IvyClan and LilyClan territory. _ To the north, she could smell the pines ending abruptly and there was a slight touch of heather to the smell, like the flowers Sundapple kept in his den. “That way,” she announced. She stayed close to the ravine until it cut off, and there was a strong scent, that smelled like heather and rabbits.

 

“This is the CloudClan territory,” Mossbush told Sparkpaw. “We must be careful here. It seems like Meadowstar knows when a RainClan cat mistakenly steps a toe on their territory.”

 

Cherrybird giggled. “Yes, well, I'm sure he's just on edge,” she meowed. “This leafbare has been tough on all the clans. Maybe we’ll see what he has to say at the next gathering. Or, Sundapple could ask Honeyleaf if Meadowstar has lost his mind with age when they go to the skystream for the medicine cat gathering.”

 

Sparkpaw’s ears perked. She forgot that soon Sunnypaw and her mentors would be going to the sacred river near CloudClan territory so she would become a true medicine cat apprentice. She wondered if Sunnypaw was looking forward to it. Sparkpaw remembered the anger that she felt radiating off her sister. Why was her sister angry?

 

The apprentice was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard paws pound against the earth over the CloudClan border. “RainClan cats!” a she-cat hissed. “What are you doing so close to our territory?”

 

Sparkpaw sank behind Mossbush, hoping the CloudClan cat couldn't see her. “Hawkclaw,” Cherrybird meowed calmly. Sparkpaw recognises the CloudClan deputy’s name. “We're showing our newest apprentice around the territory.”

 

Sparkpaw peeked over Mossbush’s tail, her nose twitching. The patrol smelled strongly of rabbits. Had they just finished hunting? Another she-cat stomped forward, nearly crossing the border. “Is this that blind kitty that you RainClan cats took in?” Her voice was more squeaky than Hawkclaw, and Sparkpaw could tell she was just an apprentice. To her surprise, the apprentice didn't sound like she was trying to jab at her weakness as much as she sounded curious.

 

“Parsleypaw!” another warrior snapped, pulling the apprentice back.

 

“No mouse-brain!” another apprentice, a tom, piped up. “Why would RainClan let a blind cat be an apprentice?” Sparkpaw opened her jaws to hiss a retort, but she was cut off.

 

“Harepaw!” the same she-cat hissed. “Shut up, you two. Apprentices are seen not heard.” Sparkpaw heard a soft smack and guessed that the older cat cuffed Harepaw over the head. “Yes, we're showing our new apprentices around the territory too.”

 

“Congratulations on the new apprentice, Roseheart. Sparkpaw, come on,” Mossbush meowed, his voice silky smooth. “Let's go back to camp.”

 

“I didn't get to see IvyClan!” she complained, glaring up at her father.

 

“Don't cause a scene, Sparkpaw,” Cherrybird meowed. “We'll go to the IvyClan border tomorrow.”

 

Sparkpaw huffed, turning and stomping into the forest, followed by her two mentors. “Have a safe trip home!” Parsleypaw called. “I hope I see you at the gathering this moon!”

 

Mossbush called one last goodbye, and Sparkpaw heard Parsleypaw getting scolded by Roseheart before she padded out of earshot.


	8. Chapter Six

Sparkpaw twitched in her sleep, her claws flexing and relaxing every now and then. Her tail lashed once before she woke up, gasping. She felt around her nest, unable to feel Windpaw pressed up against her. She must have gotten up and left the den. The russet apprentice got to her paws, stretched until she shook, and yawned. Outside, a cold wind blew past, whistling as it passed through the trees. Sparkpaw shivered as she stepped out of the den, the wind buffeting her fur. Mossbush and Lionfoot were lucky to have so much fur. With short fur like Sparkpaw’s, she'd be freezing her tail off all leafbare. She tasted the air and caught a scent of Windpaw and Squirrelpaw near the fresh-kill pile. The apprentice fought against the wind and sat clumsily next to Windpaw.

 

“Mornin’, Spark!” Windpaw chirped, licking her denmate’s head. “How’d you sleep last night?”

 

Sparkpaw swallowed a purr. Windpaw was obviously bonding a lot more with Snowpelt, so much that she had even caught the deputy’s odd accent. “I slept fine,” Sparkpaw answered, leaning into Windpaw’s pelt. She was so warm in the cold windstorm. “I was having some weird dreams before I woke up.” Sparkpaw screwed up her face, trying to remember what her dream was about. She shook the thought away, deciding she'd think about it later. “How did you sleep, Windpaw?”

 

The older apprentice purred, happiness radiating from her pelt. “I slept great!” she meowed. “I dreamed that I was chasing a big ol’ butterfly and I caught it before I woke up! I wasn't able to play with it after that, but it was still fun!”

 

Sparkpaw giggled. She laid her head on Windpaw’s shoulder. The air smelled like frost and the atmosphere around Sparkpaw was cold. The sun was probably blocked by dark clouds. Sparkpaw pressed closer to Windpaw when another chilling breeze ruffled her fur. Windpaw’s pelt warmed under Sparkpaw’s own. Sparkpaw dozed off after a while, listening to her denmates’ conversation, tucking her paws into her chest.

 

Her nap didn't last long. Mossbush gently prodded Sparkpaw’s side to wake her. “Good morning, sleepymouse,” he purred. Sparkpaw yawned and mumbled a quiet good morning back. “Eaglepaw wanted you to come battle training with her and her brothers and sister. What do you think?”

 

Sparkpaw blinked and stood up. “Okay,” she mumbled, shaking out her fur. “Could Sunnypaw come with us?” She turned her head to the medicine den where her sister was probably working hard on herbs with Sundapple and Cloudheart.

 

“You'd have to ask her mentor,” Mossbush meowed, licking his daughter’s head. “Meet Cherrybird and I at the entrance when you're ready, alright?” He nuzzled the apprentice before padding to the warrior's den to get Cherrybird.

 

Sparkpaw nodded and got to her paws. “I'll meet you at the apprentice hollow, okay?” she told Windpaw.

 

A jolt of something Sparkpaw couldn't figure out flashed from Windpaw. “Yes!” the apprentice meowed before clearing her throat. “Yes. I’ll see you there.” She padded to the entrance and brushed her pelt against Sparkpaw’s. The russet apprentice’s ears warmed. She shook them and padded to the medicine den. Inside, Sunnypaw was speaking with Sundapple and Cloudheart.

 

“Bright-eye helps cure coughs,” the apprentice meowed. Sparkpaw moved closer, her ears perked.

 

“What do you mix it with?” Sundapple asked.

 

Frustration radiated from the medicine cat apprentice’s pelt. She sighed. “I can't remember,” she meowed, earning a soft scoff from Cloudheart.

 

“No worries,” Sundapple purred. “This is all part of the learning process. You must mix bright-eye with lovage for the healing properties to work.”

 

Sparkpaw stepped in. “Excuse me,” she meowed, catching Sundapple’s attention.

 

“Good morning, Sparkpaw!” Sundapple purred. Sparkpaw enjoyed the calm energy flowing from the medicine cat’s pelt. It overpowered the feeling of anger and annoyance constantly clinging to Cloudheart like a burr. Sparkpaw dipped her her to Sundapple. “What is it you need?”

 

Sparkpaw shuffled her paws. It seemed that Sunnypaw was in the middle of a training session. Would it be rude to interrupt? “I was wondering if I could steal Sunnypaw for a while?” she squeaked, clearing her throat. “The other apprentices and I are going out to have some battle practice. I just wanted Sunnypaw to be there and maybe learn a couple things with me.”

 

Sunnypaw didn't look at her sister. Her paws scuffled against the earth as she stayed silent. “She most certainly cannot," Cloudheart grumbled from across the den. “Can’t you see she's already training herself? She needs time to practice, not time to run around with the other apprentices.”

 

Sundapple took a deep breath, clearing the stress that was starting to swamp over his clear aura. “Cloudheart,” he started. “Sunnypaw has been working hard since she became an apprentice.”

 

“She only became an apprentice a couple days ago,” Cloudheart growled. “She hasn't even learned the basics about medicine.”

 

“Maybe that's a sign that she needs a quick break, to think things over,” Cloudheart's former apprentice meowed, padding over to him. “I know how stressful it is to be a medicine cat apprentice. You do too. Just one quick day off. Then she can go back to studying herbs.”

 

Cloudheart stayed silent and the constant wave of anger faltered. He puffed something under his breath. “Fine,” he meowed. “Be back before sundown.”

 

Excitement tingled through Sparkpaw. She bowed her head to the two older toms. “Thank you,” she meowed. “See you later!”

 

“Goodbye, Sundapple,” Sunnypaw meowed. “I'll study harder, I promise.”

 

The medicine cat purred, rasping his tongue over her head. “Have fun,” he meowed. “Don't worry about herbs and relax. There won't be a test when you come back.”

 

Even with Sundapple’s reassurance, the anxiety in Sunnypaw didn't waver. She only nodded and padded to Sparkpaw, keeping a cold space between their pelts. The sisters left out of the den together. “I'm excited to spend time with you again,” Sparkpaw meowed. Sunnypaw didn't answer. “It feels like we haven't spoken since we became apprentices.”

 

Sunnypaw sighed. “Yeah, I guess it does.” An odd sadness ran from Sunnypaw straight to Sparkpaw.

 

Sparkpaw’s heart ached for her sister. “Hey, is something wrong?” she asked.

 

Sunnypaw stayed silent. Mossbush purred when his daughters approached him. “Are you two ready for a nice training session?” he asked.

 

“Yep!” Sparkpaw squeaked, leaping out of the entrance. She sniffed the air. The wind was blowing toward the ocean, and the apprentice felt a pang of disappointment that she couldn't smell the ocean. Sunnypaw brushed past her, which sent an odd chill through Sparkpaw. Sunnypaw's pelt was cold. Maybe it was because the sun wasn't out, or she just left the medicine den which was always quite cool unless you sat in the sunny patch that Cloudheart’s mentor cleared out not long before Sparkpaw and Sunnypaw were born. Sparkpaw decided not to question her sister about her cold pelt and trailed behind her sister and mentor. “So, Sunnypaw.”

 

The medicine cat only hummed to tell Sparkpaw she was listening. “How do you deal with Cloudheart all the time?” Sparkpaw asked, scrunching her nose up. “He's so rude to me all the time, plus he really seems to hate apprentices.”

 

Sunnypaw shrugged. “He's fine once you get to know him,” she answered. “Plus, I'm Sundapple’s apprentice, not his. I don't spend much time with him ‘cause he stays out of our way most of the time.”

 

Sparkpaw stared at the ground. “Oh,” she meowed. “Well, I'm glad you're enjoying your training, Sunny.”

 

Sunnypaw stopped for a heartbeat before nodding and continuing on. “I'm glad you are, too.”

 

The rest of the way to the tree bridge was quiet. They reached the river and started padding parallel to it. Finally, they reached the fallen tree and Mossbush helped his kits up. Sparkpaw gripped her claws into the bark, knowing her father would catch her if she fell. She only slipped once or twice, but she made it across safely. Sunnypaw, however, didn't have much luck. Sparkpaw’s sister’s legs were much longer, which meant when she slipped to one side, her legs would splash into the river. The apprentice hissed and leapt across, landing clumsily next to her sister. Mossbush made his way across the bridge last, landing with a soft  _ thud _ next to his daughters.

 

“You two should get used to crossing that bridge,” he purred. His pelt was beaming with amusement. Sunnypaw shook her wet paws, grumbling to herself. “Don't worry, you'll get used to it. You'll have to cross two once you start going to the gathering.” He nudged Sunnypaw. “Besides, we're RainClan cats, you should enjoy getting wet.”

 

“I like the  _ rain _ , I just hate getting soaked,” Sunnypaw huffed, but Sparkpaw could tell she wasn't angry.

 

The rest of the trek was more light-hearted then the way to the tree bridge had been. Sparkpaw was glad Sunnypaw was no longer upset. Eventually, they reached the apprentice hollow. Eaglepaw was the first to rush over, bursting with excitement. “Are you training with us today, Sunnypaw?” she asked.

 

Sunnypaw shuffled her paws. “I may not train with you, but I'm gonna watch,” she answered. Sparkpaw purred quietly. It was pretty obvious Sunnypaw had feelings for the older apprentice. Even as a kit, Sunnypaw chased her around, begging to be included with Eaglepaw and her siblings.

 

Yarrowstar stepped forward. “Eaglepaw, why don't you and Squirrelpaw spar while Birdpaw and Windpaw train,” she meowed. “Sparkpaw, you and your mentors can learn to hunt.”

 

Disappointment flooded over Sparkpaw. “But I want to learn to fight!” she objected, stomping her paws.

 

The sympathy and unease coming from her leader and mentors mad Sparkpaw even angrier. “You'll learn to fight eventually,” Sunnypaw told her sister, placing a tail on her shoulder. “For now, you can learn to provide for your Clan.”

 

Sparkpaw sighed. “Fine,” she grumbled. “What do I do first?”

 

“You already know how to do the hunting crouch, don't you?” Cherrybird meowed, pressing against Sparkpaw’s side.

 

“I think so,” the apprentice answered, leaning down awkwardly. Her tail lashed before she remembered to keep it still. She heated with embarrassment when she heard Windpaw giggling. “How does this look.”

 

“Not good,” Mossbush meowed. “Relax a little, Spark. And remember to put your weight into your haunches so the mice don't hear you.” She did as she was told, feeling a bit more comfortable with herself. “Great! Why don't we go into the forest and test you out?”

 

They padded into the trees and Sparkpaw tasted the air. There was a tinge of mouse on the breeze. “I can smell a mouse,” she whispered.

 

“That's some good luck,” Cherrybird purred. “It's been a barren leafbare lately. Hopefully, newleaf isn't gonna be late.”

 

“Okay, Sparkpaw,” Mossbush murmured. “What you want to do is get as close to it as possible and try not to make a sound. Once you're close, pounce on it and kill it fast. You need to rely on your sense of smell. Go ahead.”

 

Sparkpaw's heart was racing in her chest. She slowly padded forward, hearing the mouse scuttle across the earth. It didn't hear her coming. She took a deep breath and got as close as she could. She leaned down and wiggled her rump before pouncing. Her paws hit the earth and she heard the mouse squeal and run off into the forest. She hissed in frustration, her ears flattening against her head.

 

“Don't worry, dear,” Cherrybird meowed. “No one catches it on their first try.”

 

Mossbush nuzzled her. “You can try again,” he told her. “As soon as we find another mouse.” Sparkpaw didn't answer. Mossbush sighed. “Let's look around for another piece of prey.”

 

Sparkpaw stayed silent as they padded through the forest. They didn't have any luck finding the prey. Sparkpaw was about to tell them to give up when she heard rustling from behind her. Her ears perked. She dropped down and padded forward, sniffing the air. It didn't smell like mouse. There was a hint of bird in the odd smell. She took a longer sniff, unable to identify what it was. She unsheathed her claws and leapt forward.  _ Don't miss!  _ she begged herself. Her claws met fur and she tumbled onto the ground.

 

The large mass underneath her hissed. “Get off of me!” it growled. Sparkpaw was flung away.

 

“I'm sorry, I-" She stopped, finally able to recognized the scent. “You're an IvyClan cat!” She growled, her tail lashing. “What are you doing here?” 

 

The apprentice hissed. “IvyClan needs prey!” she snapped. “I'm providing for my Clan.”

 

“By stealing RainClan’s prey.” Sparkpaw unsheathed her claws again, ready for a fight.

 

The IvyClan cat only snorted. “I'm sure I can easily beat a puny, blind apprentice,” she snarled. Rage bubbled up inside Sparkpaw and she was about to pounce onto the apprentice when Mossbush burst from the undergrowth.

 

“What’s going on here?” he hissed. “Bluepaw, what are you doing on our territory? Where is your mentor?”

 

Bluepaw growled, lashing her tail. She turned and ran, her paws pounding across the earth. Sparkpaw darted after her, panting. She followed her scent trail and eventually caught up to the apprentice, leaping into her and bowling her into the ground. “Bluepaw!” Mossbush panted when he caught up to the apprentices. “Did your mentors send you here?”

 

Bluepaw glared up at the RainClan cats. “No,” she muttered. “I came here myself so that I could show my mentors that I'll make a good warrior.”

 

“Well you won't be a warrior any time soon after this,” he meowed. “Sparkpaw, go back to the others with the prey Bluepaw caught. I'll bring her home.”

 

Bluepaw didn't say another word as she dropped the bird she caught and followed Mossbush toward her own territory. Sparkpaw sniffed the ground for the bird for a moment before grabbing it between her jaws and heading back to where her fellow apprentices were. Halfway there, she heard a rustling in the bushes beside her. She opened her jaws and drank in the scent.  _ A rabbit! _

 

She tried hard to remember what Eaglepaw told her when she was still a kit in the nursery.  _ A rabbit will smell me before it sees me _ , she told herself. Making sure the wind was blowing toward her, she crouched down and slowly crept forward, trying to force herself not to shake. Once she was close enough, she crouched as low as she could and pounced forward. Hope flared in her chest when she landed on soft fur. The rabbit squealed, but didn't have time to run before Sparkpaw nipped its spine.

 

She held it up proudly, wishing Mossbush or Cherrybird were there to see her. She grabbed both the bird and the rabbit, which nearly tripped her a couple times, as it was almost the same size as her, and padded toward the apprentice hollow. She heard the scuffling and grunts of the apprentices and the calls of their mentors nearly three tree-lengths away. She slipped into the clearing, holding her head high.

 

Sunnypaw was the first to see her sister’s small haul. “Wow!” she gasped, running over to the russet apprentice. “Did you catch both of those by yourself?”

 

Sparkpaw’s ears heated from the praise, but she puffed out her chest with pride. “I caught the rabbit, not the bird,” she meowed, dropping the fresh-kill in front of the other cats.

 

Cherrybird stepped forward, pride for her foster daughter bursting from her pelt. “Well done!” she meowed, licking Sparkpaw’s head. “You'll make a great warrior, Sparkpaw.”

 

“Thank you,” the apprentice murmured, her paws tingling with excitement.

 

The training went on for a while longer before Mossbush finally reached the hollow once again. “You smell like IvyClan,” Yarrowstar meowed, stepping toward the short, cream and black tom. “What happened?”

 

“Sparkpaw ran into a IvyClan apprentice, Bluepaw,” he meowed. “She was able to pin her down and, before anyone got hurt, I was able to get her to calm down and give us a bird she stole from us. I just got back from taking Bluepaw home.”

 

Surprise sparked from Yarrowstar’s pelt. “Sparkpaw was able to take down an IvyClan apprentice?” she asked, her eyes burning into Sparkpaw. She stayed quiet for a moment before nodding to Sparkpaw. “Congratulations. Our session is over, but if you'd like, you can join the other apprentices in this sort of training the next time they do so.”

 

Sparkpaw purred when Windpaw brushed against her. “Congrats!” she meowed, licking her denmate’s cheek.

 

“Let's get going,” Mossbush meowed, nudging his daughters. “We'll be home in time to eat with Honeyfall before he goes out on patrol.”

 

Sunnypaw and Sparkpaw followed their father and Cherrybird home, falling behind them so they could talk. Eaglepaw, Windpaw, Squirrelpaw, and Birdpaw stayed behind to go hunting with their mentors. Sparkpaw was carrying the rabbit she caught and Sunnypaw was carrying Bluepaw’s bird, making their conversation muffled. When they reached the camp, Honeyfall and Lionfoot greeted their mates kindly. Lionfoot led Cherrybird to the nursery with some sort of kit emergency, and Mossbush and Honeyfall nuzzled each other and padded to the fresh-kill pile.

 

“Papa!” Sparkpaw meowed, running over to him with her rabbit. “Look what I caught!”

She dropped the rabbit in front of him, puffing out her chest.

 

Honeyfall purred loudly and licked her head. “Great catch, Sparkpaw!” he purred, nuzzling her. “Why don't you go bring that to Mossbush’s parents? I've got a patrol to go on, and I need to go now or Pinefang will get angry with me. Have a good evening, my loves.” His tongue rasped over Mossbush’s ear before he padded toward the entrance, slipping out of the entrance.

 

Sparkpaw searched Mossbush for any emotion he might have been feeling, but, whatever it was, she couldn't recognize it. “Sparkpaw, I'll take the rabbit to my parents,” her father meowed, grabbing the fresh-kill from her. “You two can do whatever you want for a little while. I’ll be talking to Yarrowstar about you taking place in the older apprentice’s training later, Sparkpaw.” He turned away from his daughters and padded toward the elder’s den.

 

“What do you want to do?” Sparkpaw asked her sister.

 

Sunnypaw padded past Sparkpaw. “I don't know about you, but I'm tired,” she told her. “I'm gonna go to my den and try to take a nap.”

 

Disappointment flooded over Sparkpaw. She wanted to spend time with Sunnypaw before they had to go to their nests. “Wait!” she called, leaping after her sister. “Can't we just talk for a little bit?”

 

Sunnypaw sighed quietly. “What do you want to talk about?”

 

Sparkpaw thought for a moment. The two sisters didn't have much to talk about anymore. Their duties were so different that Sparkpaw couldn't talk about training without Sunnypaw not understanding. “How's  _ your  _ training?” she asked, pressing against her pelt. “We haven’t talked much about being a medicine cat yet. How is it? Is it exciting?”

 

Sunnypaw pulled away. Sparkpaw suddenly felt cold again. “It's okay,” she murmured, slipping into the medicine den with Sparkpaw close behind her. “I'm going to the starstream soon, a half a moon after the gathering. I also like the way the den smells, actually. It's really calming.”

 

Sparkpaw scrunched up her nose. “Really? I can't stand the smell of this place.” The sharp tang of herbs was sickening to her, especially because there were so many.

 

Sunnypaw chuckled, warmth starting to seep from her usually cold pelt. “It takes a little bit to get used to,” she meowed. Sparkpaw played with a piece of herb she had found on the ground. It was fuzzy to the touch.

 

“What’s this?” she asked her sister, pushing it toward her.

 

“That's mallow,” her sister meowed. “It's used for stomach aches. I gave one to Vinekit the other day because of her stomach ache, and it cleared right up. Sundapple and I think she accidentally ate some crowfood, but Cloudheart says Juniperkit dared her to do it.” She purred fondly. “It sounds like something we would have done as kits.” The happy aura around Sunnypaw faded, making Sparkpaw's smile drop.

 

The silence was broken when Juniperkit limped into the den, whimpering and crying. “Sunnypaw!” he whined, limping over to her. “I've got a thorn in my paw! It really hurts!”

 

Sunnypaw forced purred and stood up, padding over to the young kit. “Let's see it.” Sparkpaw heard shuffling and then Sunnypaw humming. “Well, that's the biggest thorn I've seen! Even Lichenfur would be brought down by this.” Sunnypaw's tongue rasped over Juniperkit’s pad, and Sparkpaw heard the kit squeak before Sunnypaw spit something onto the ground. There was rustling of leaves. “I'm gonna put some sick on the wound, it may sting.” Another whimper, and finally, Juniperkit's thorn was gone. “There you are. You can go now. Vinekit will want to know that you're okay.”

 

“Thanks Sunny!” Juniperkit purred. He scrambled out of the den and sped off toward the nursery.

 

Sparkpaw laughed, her heart filling with love for the little tom. The apprentice was right about Juniperkit smelling like storms like his mother. He must spend a lot of time with Lionfoot. “I'm going to sleep,” Sunnypaw meowed. “Have a good night, Sparkpaw. Sleep well.”

 

Sparkpaw nuzzled her sister and licked her cheek. “You too,” she murmured. “Good night.” Sparkpaw slipped out of the medicine den, her pelt ruffling against the cold breeze that was starting to batter the trees once more. She walked to the warrior's den, hoping to say a quick goodnight to her fathers, but they were already asleep, Mossbush’s soft snoring filling the quiet den.

 

The russet apprentice sighed and slipped into her own den, where Eaglepaw and Birdpaw were quietly whispering to one another about a battle move they couldn't get right. Sparkpaw lay down in her nest she shared with Windpaw and yawned, tears pricking at the sides of her eyes. She fell asleep fast.

 

Usually, Sparkpaw’s dreams were filled with darkness and sounds she had heard throughout the day. This dream started with this, but soon an odd ray of light glimmered through the darkness. The blind she-cat looked around, seeing her front two russet paws.  _ This is strange, _ she told herself, her heart racing. She wished there was something nearby that she could see herself in. Her parents always said she was as beautiful as Cherrybird, but she never really believed them. Now, she had a chance to see the truth, but there was no way she could.

 

She followed the golden light, picking up the pace as she went, soon breaking into a full gallop. She stopped when the light hurt her eyes so much that she nearly went blind all over again. In front of her was a shining, golden she-cat. She was big, but lithe looking, her tail fluffy. Sparkpaw opened her jaws to speak, but nothing came out. Soon, the golden she-cat turned. Sparkpaw’s heart stopped when she saw her. Where her face should have been, there was a black hole. The she-cat stared at Sparkpaw, her ears perked. Sparkpaw woke with a jolt, blinking multiple times. She was blind again. Windpaw was pressed against her. It was still nighttime. Sighing, she laid her head on her paws, hoping the same nightmare wouldn't plague her again.


	9. Chapter Seven

The Clan was bustling around loudly, getting themselves ready for the first snow of leafbare before they had to go to the Gathering. Sparkpaw sat near the apprentice’s den, ready for any instructions from the warriors. Windpaw and Eaglepaw were out fetching twigs and ferns to help upgrade the dens, and Birdpaw and Squirrelpaw weren't helping their mentors build the extra protection. Sunnypaw was gathering herbs with Sundapple so they wouldn't be killed by frost overnight, while Cloudheart organized them in their den.

 

Sparkpaw flattened her ears against the noise and sighed. She sniffed the air to find Mossbush and stumbled toward him, tripping on tails every now and then, before tumbling into Mossbush, who was speaking with his brother and sisters, Quailwing, Sootcloud, and Brackenclaw. “What is it, dear?” mewed Mossbush as he helped his daughter up, sounding exasperated.

 

“Is there anything I can do to help?” the apprentice asked, her ears perked. “I could go out with Cherrybird and hunt with her. Or I could help Honeyfall and Pinefang with burying prey.”

 

Mossbush sighed. “Yes, go ask one of them about it,” he acknowledged, returning to his conversation with the other warriors.

 

Sparkpaw was surprised by his tired tone. Mossbush always seemed so cheery and energetic. Was this job really that stressful? Sparkpaw dipped her head to the warriors before turning and padding to where she thought she smelled Cherrybird. The former queen was sitting with Lionfoot, talking about how the kits would be seeing their first snow. In front of them, Vinekit and Juniperkit were scuffling in the snow. “Sparkpaw!” Cherrybird greeted her, licking her forehead. “What is it you need?”

 

“I was wondering if you could take me out to hunt?” Sparkpaw meowed, shuffling her paws restlessly. She continued when there was a spark of uncertainty from Cherrybird. “I have nothing to do today except sit around. And I was hoping I could meet Eaglepaw and Windpaw and maybe help them too.”

 

“Sparkpaw, why don't you go help Honeyfall,” Lionfoot meowed, nudging her toward her other father. Sparkpaw whined. “Sorry, but we need to watch over the kits. Juniperkit is trying to convince me he's neither a tom nor a she-kit and I want to talk to him about it. Your dad will have a job for you, don't worry.”

 

Sparkpaw huffed and slipped through the cats and to her father. Dirt accidentally hit her in the head, making her squeak. “Oh!” Honeyfall laughed, wiping the dirt off her head. “I'm sorry, Spark! What are you doing over here?”

 

“I want to help!” Sparkpaw meowed, looking up at her father with flat ears. “I was already turned down by Mossbush, and Cherrybird, and Lionfoot! I just want to help somebody!”

 

Honeyfall laughed. “Well, I could use some help,” he purred. “Come here, I'll show you what to do.” Sparkpaw followed him to the fresh-kill pile. “Since we're running low on food, we need to bury the food we have so it doesn't rot as fast. So, all you need to do is dig a deep enough hole, plop the prey in there, and then bury it under the dirt. Sound easy enough for you?”

 

Sparkpaw purred and nodded, grabbing a scrawny mouse from the pile. She spent a while digging holes and burying prey before something cold and wet hit her nose. She sniffed and sneezed when a cold breeze stung her scent glands. She shook out her pelt when another one sunk into her back fur. “Is this snow?” she asked Honeyfall in awe, her eyes wide.

 

“It is,” her father purred. “Just in time. We just finished up burying the prey. Yarrowstar will be announcing who will be going to the Gathering soon.”

 

As soon as he said that, Yarrowstar leapt up onto the leader’s ledge and called the Clan around. “Tonight is the Gathering, as most of you already know,” she meowed as the Clan gathered. Snowpelt sat next to her leader on the deputy's ledge, Cloudheart and Sundapple sat in the lowest ledge, while Sunnypaw stood next to them, unable to squeeze in with them. “The cats that will be going are: Tigerstripe, Honeyfall, Sootcloud, Mossbush, Brackenclaw, Lakecloud, Pigeonbelly, Lionfoot, and the apprentices and elders.” Excitement shot through Sparkpaw and she leapt to her paws, celebrating silently. “Remember that the other Clans may be on edge because of the lack of prey this leafbare. Don't try to start any fights.”

 

Eaglepaw snorted and huffed, whispering something to Sunnypaw that made her laugh. Sparkpaw pressed against Honeyfall, starting to get cold. “When are we going?” she asked him, his tail wrapping around her.

 

“Soon,” Honeyfall answered. “Lionfoot will probably want to say goodbye to the kits before she leaves.” He pressed his nose against Sparkpaw once before peeling away from her. “I'm going to make sure Mossbush is okay. He seemed pretty stressed out earlier. Go see how your sister’s doing.”

 

Sparkpaw listen to him walk away and she turned to the other apprentices. Excitement filled the air. The apprentices were bouncing up and down excitedly. Sparkpaw joined them, her paws tingling. “Have you been to a Gathering, Windpaw?” she asked the oldest apprentice, her eyes wide.

 

“I've been one before,” she answered. “It was pretty much a big mess though. I was kind of scared my first time 'cause there were so many cats there.” She pressed against Sparkpaw, her pelt warm. “But, if you get scared, you can always come see me.”

 

Sparkpaw purred and heated from embarrassment. Soon, Yarrowstar called the cats who were going to the entrance. “Let's get going,” she meowed.

 

The warriors ran ahead of the apprentices, all except for the mentors, who had to stay close behind the younger cats to make sure they didn't dawdle. They easily crossed the tree bridge on their own territory, padded across the stepping stones that lead toward IvyClan territory, and reached the thunderpath. Sparkpaw tried not to shake when she heard a loud rumbling coming from the far east of the black path. A monster flew past, extremely loud, it's paws big enough to crush even the biggest warrior.

 

“Now!” Yarrowstar yelled, darting across the thunderpath. Sparkpaw followed close by Mossbush, her paws shaking. The fact that she couldn't see a monster made her feel scared she wouldn't hear one coming. But, they reached the other side, and her anxiety calmed.

 

The apprentices were now really starting to buzz with excitement as they neared the Gathering. “Here's the second tree bridge,” Mossbush whispered to Sparkpaw. “If you need any help, just tell me.”

 

“Don't worry!” Sparkpaw purred. “I can do it.”

 

After Sunnypaw jumped up, Sparkpaw leaned down and wiggled her rump, before leaping up. Her back paws nearly didn't make it, but she was able to pull herself up. She puffed out her chest proudly and trotted across the tree trunk easily. “Slow down,” Eaglepaw whispered. “It may seem easy, but it starts getting slippery near the end.”

 

Sparkpaw lifted her head indignantly. “I can do it, don't- frog-dung!” She gasped when she slipped, her back paws splashing into the fast current of the river. “Help!” she called, her paws slipping. Eaglepaw leapt forward, but she wasn't fast enough. Sparkpaw slid down and splashed into the water. She waved her paws, trying to fight the current, but her paws got tired and she had to give up, praying to StarClan that someone would jump in and save her.

 

Sure enough, a warrior grabbed her scruff and pulled her onto the shore. Sparkpaw coughed and sputtered, embarrassment heating up her whole body. “Sparkpaw, are you okay?” Honeyfall asked, licking her fur, trying to dry her off. Sparkpaw nodded, shivering. Snow was still falling from the sky, leaving her freezing underneath her soaked coat.

 

Snow continued to fall as Mossbush joined Honeyfall in trying to dry her off. She stared at her paws as the other Clans joined them, apprentices whispering about her and giggling. “I'm okay,” she meowed, standing and shaking out her pelt, spraying droplets of water onto her fathers. “I'll just go join the others.” The russet she-cat slipped past the pine trees that blocked the path to the highrocks. It was a lot louder inside the pine trees. As soon as she hit stone, Sparkpaw had to flatten her ears to block out the noise. She tasted the air, trying to find her fellow Clanmates. She finally detected Windpaw, Eaglepaw, and Sunnypaw with some CloudClan apprentices.

 

“Sparkpaw!” Sunnypaw called, letting her sister sit down next to her. “These are some CloudClan cats. Eaglepaw wanted to introduce me to them before I joined the medicine cats.”

 

Sparkpaw dipped her head to the other cats. “I recognize you!” one of them meowed, her voice familiar. “You were that blind apprentice when we were on patrol.” Sparkpaw sheepishly nodded. “Well, I'm Parsleypaw, the tom to my right is Barkpaw, the tom to my left is Harepaw, and the tom next to your sister is Blazepaw.”

 

Sparkpaw dipped her head to them. “Nice to meet you all,” she meowed. There was a moment of silence among the cats.

 

“Blazepaw says it's nice to meet you too,” Parsleypaw meowed. “He's completely deaf. He lost his hearing when he was three moons old to an ear infection. He's learned to read lips, but we also use a sign language that his grandmother made up. She was deaf too.”

 

Sparkpaw’s ears perked. She looked at where Blazepaw was sitting and moved a little closer so she could try to brush her whiskers against him. “I guess you could be me eyes and I can be your ears,” she joked, hoping the tom didn't take any offence to it.

 

Blazepaw laughed. His laugh was sort of odd, not like anything Sparkpaw had heard before. But she liked it. “He says he'd like that,” Parsleypaw giggled. “I'm gonna join the other Clans’ apprentices. Come with me, Sparkpaw!”

 

“Alright,” Sparkpaw meowed. “Are you coming?”

 

Sunnypaw shook her head. “No, I'm going to go meet up with the medicine cats. Have fun though.” She nuzzled her sister and padded toward the other cats. The Gathering was filled with cats sunning themselves on rocks, or laying with old friends on patches of grass. She spotted the medicine cats, who were sitting on a slightly raised patch of grass. There were ten medicine cats in total. Sundapple was speaking with a black tom with white paws, while Cloudheart chatted to an older looking ginger she-cat, about his age. A tortoiseshell she-cat, a white she-cat, and a light brown she-cat were talking in hushed tones, while the two apprentices spoke to one another.

 

“Sunnypaw!” Sundapple meowed, gesturing her over. “Come meet the medicine cats. Juniperberry is the IvyClan medicine cat.” The black and white tom nodded to her, his eyes kind. “Flamecloud and Cottoncloud are the LilyClan medicine cats, and this is their apprentice, Fernpaw.” The silver apprentice greeted her shortly before returning to his conversation. “The CloudClan medicine cat is Honeyleaf, and her apprentice is Snowpaw.”

 

“It's good to meet you,” Honeyleaf purred. “Snowpaw and Fernpaw have been waiting for a new apprentice to join them. Don't mind Snowpaw, though, they’re sort of shy.” Snowpaw lowered their head, not making eye contact with Sunnypaw. Sunnypaw purred and nodded to them.

 

“And, finally, this is Riverdawn,” Sundapple meowed, pointing to the pretty tortoiseshell she-cat. “She’s the SandClan medicine cat.”

 

Riverdawn dipped her head to the apprentice. “It's nice to meet you,” she meowed, her voice silky and soft, reminding Sunnypaw of Cherrybird. However, something seemed off about the way she looked at the golden apprentice. It almost made her uncomfortable. “I, too, came into the Clan as a rogue with my sister, Rosesky, but not at such a young age. I had to work hard to get the title of a medicine cat. I hope you do as well.”

 

Sunnypaw nodded to the older she-cat. “I will try my best,” she meowed. She turned to Snowpaw, who was still speaking to Fernpaw. She padded over to the apprentices. “Hello,” she meowed, making Snowpaw jump. “Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. My name’s Sunnypaw. This is my first Gathering.”

 

Fernpaw lifted his head, his greenish blue eyes scanning Sunnypaw. “So, do you know the leaders?” he asked, stepping in between her and Snowpaw.

 

“Not yet,” she meowed. “Which one’s Meadowstar? I've heard a lot about him.”

 

“He's the white and brown tom,” Fernpaw meowed, pointing to the lithe brown tom who wasn't speaking to anyone. “He's sort of hostile,” he whispered, looking at Snowpaw and Honeyleaf. “It took him a couple seasons to get used to the fact that Snowpaw was neither a tom nor a she-cat. He misgendered them constantly, until Honeyleaf stood up for him.”

 

Sunnypaw looked at Meadowstar. Cherrybird told her stories about him being rude to cats like her and Lionfoot. She already didn't like him. “And who’s the LilyClan leader?” she asked, eyeing two cats who were speaking to one another.

 

“Poppystar’s the russet tom,” Fernpaw meowed, pointing his tail to the big brownish tom who was speaking with Yarrowstar. “He's  _ my _ leader. He's actually pretty great. He's really fair to all the warriors of the Clans, even ones like Snowpaw. I hope his successor is like that as well. The white tom is Skystar. He's pretty quiet, but I've heard good things about him.”

 

“So, I'm guessing the white she-cat is Songstar?” she meowed, looking at the pretty white she-cat, who was playing with snowflakes like a young apprentice.

 

“Yes,” Fernpaw meowed. “She’s the youngest leader, as you probably know. I think that Sorrelstar, the leader before Songstar, wanted to have her grow a bit older before she passed away. I've heard that Songstar’s pretty kind, too.” He looked over at Riverdawn and lowered his voice. “But, honestly, I think she’s been keeping secrets.”

 

“What?” Sunnypaw asked, her eyes widening. “Why?”

 

“Hush,” Cloudheart meowed, sitting up. “The Gathering's starting.”

 

Fernpaw shrugged and turned to the leaders. Sunnypaw blinked and shook her head. Fernpaw must be wrong. Leaders didn't keep secrets. Did they? She looked at Songstar, who sat up when Meadowstar called the Clans around.

 

Songstar stepped up first her pretty, light green eyes shining in the moonlight. The slight amount of snow melted around her delicate paws. “Prey has been running well in SandClan,” she meowed, lifting her head. It didn't seem like she knew that she was aggravating the other leaders. “The waves are calm, and we're able to swim deep into the ocean to get as much as food as possible. Other than that, we have no other news.” She nodded to Poppystar who stepped forward next

 

“We have a new queen in the nursery,” Poppystar meowed proudly. “Sorrelblaze joined the nursery a couple sunrises after the last Gathering.” Sunnypaw found the pregnant she-cat, who was sitting next to a reddish tom, who she guessed was her mate. “Prey is running well in our territory, as well. The rabbits have no chance without any flowers to hide under.”

 

Fernpaw puffed his chest out, a proud look on his face. Sunnypaw guessed that LilyClan took pride in their hunting style. Skystar had the same information as the other two leaders. Prey was running well. All of RainClan murmured about Bluepaw trying to steal prey from them, but no one spoke up. Meadowstar stepped up next. He didn't look as kind as Poppystar, Skystar, and Songstar. His face was serious, absolutely no emotion being shown. It reminded Sunnypaw of when Sparkpaw told her that she could never tell what Yarrowstar was feeling. She wondered if her sister felt the same about Meadowstar.

 

Meadowstar looked at Yarrowstar and lifted his head, his eyes narrow. “Yarrowstar,” he meowed. His cool, raspy voice nearly sent shivers down Sunnypaw's spine. “I didn't want to speak to you about this at a Gathering, but it doesn't seem I have any other way. I need territory.” The Clans erupted in murmurs, all except CloudClan, who stood silent, glancing uncomfortably at the other Clans. “Just a little bit. The large clearing near the ravine is what Hawlclaw and I were thinking.”

 

Yarrowstar’s amber eyes turned cold as she glared at the other leader. “I understand that you're running low on food, Meadowstar,” she started, trying to keep calm. “But so is my Clan. This leafbare has been unforgiving, and I cannot give up any territory for you or any other Clan. You already have the Rabbit Burrows. You have enough food.”

 

Meadowstar’s dark green eyes narrowed. “The rabbits are too deep underground this leafbare; I'm afraid that if you don't hand the territory over to us, we're gonna have to take it by force,” he growled, his tail flicking ever so slightly.

 

Yarrowstar bristled. “I’d like to see you try,” she hissed.

 

“Enough!” Poppystar meowed, stepping in between the two cats. “Look at the sky!” Small, dark gray clouds were rolling over the moon, slowly. “You’re making StarClan angry. Enough fighting. Move on so we don't have to sit in this snow any longer.”

 

Meadowstar sniffed and looked back at the Clans. “We have four new apprentices,” he meowed, sounding unenthusiastic. “Parsleypaw, Blazepaw, Harepaw, and Barkpaw.”

 

The Clans murmured their names quietly and Sunnypaw felt bad for them. She noticed Sparkpaw, who was still sitting with the CloudClan apprentices, cheering for them, albeit, not very loud. Meadowstar stepped back without another word, letting Yarrowstar take his place.

 

“We also have new apprentices,” she meowed, her voice filled with joy, even after the spat with the CloudClan leader. “Sparkpaw, our new warrior apprentice, and Sunnypaw, our new medicine cat apprentice.”

 

The Clan called their names loudly. Sunnypaw slumped and licked her chest, embarrassed. Sparkpaw, however, sat with her chest puffed out proudly, like she usually did when she was praised. Sunnypaw sighed and rolled her eyes. Sparkpaw needed to learn to be more modest. “We also have two new warriors, Pigeonbelly and Lakecloud,” Yarrowstar went on. Sunnypaw saw the two warriors shuffle excitedly. The Clans called their names like they did with the apprentices. Then, Yarrowstar ended the meeting and jumped down from the highrocks. “RainClan, let's get going.”

 

Sunnypaw's heart sank. She wanted to talk to Fernpaw and Snowpaw before they went. “I guess I'll see you at the medicine cat gathering,” she meowed. “Have a good night.”

 

“You too,” Fernpaw meowed, pressing his nose against Sunnypaw's cheek. “Have a good half moon.”

 

Sunnypaw purred and jumped off the raised grass patch, following Sundapple and Cloudheart to where the RainClan warriors were starting to leave. “Goodbye, Snowpaw!” she called to the white cat. Snowpaw waved their tail, pressing against Fernpaw.

 

They padded away from the highrocks, murmuring to one another about Meadowstar’s actions. Yarrowstar didn't speak until they reached the camp. She turned, her eyes ablaze. “Mentors, double up on battle training,” she hissed. “Meadowstar wants a battle? He's going to get a battle.”


End file.
